Washington, Feb 28 (AP) President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Ukraine's leader sought security guarantees as the US tries to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Trump told Zelenskyy he was being disrespectful as Zelenskky was pushing for US security commitments to keep his country safe from further Russian aggression.

Here's the latest: Trump's Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy devolves into open antagonism The last 10 minutes of the nearly 45-minute engagement turned into a tense back and forth between Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy — who had urged scepticism about Russia's commitment to diplomacy, citing Moscow's years of broken commitments on the global stage.

It began with Vance telling Zelenskyy, “Mr. President, with respect. I think it's disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.” Zelensky tried to object, prompting Trump to eventually raise his voice and say, “You're gambling with the lives of millions of people.” “You're gambling with World War III, and what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that's backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have,” Trump said.

It was an astonishing display of open antagonism in the Oval Office, a setting better known for sombre diplomacy.

Trump laid bare his efforts to coerce Zelenskyy to reach an agreement giving the US an interest in his country's valuable minerals and to push him toward a diplomatic resolution to the war on the American leader's terms.

Trump and Vance call Zelenskyy disrespectful' during heated Oval Office meeting Zelenskyy told Trump that promises of peace from Vladimir Putin can't be trusted, noting the Russian leader's history of broken promises. Trump said Putin hasn't broken agreements with him.

“You've got to be more thankful,” Trump told Zelenskyy. He said the Ukrainian leader is “gambling with World War III.” Trump chided Zelenskyy after Vice President JD Vance, one of the administration's most sceptical voices on Ukraine, said Zelenskyy was being disrespectful for debating Trump in the Oval Office in front of the American media.

“Have you said 'thank you' once?” Vance asked Zelenskyy.

White House says it mistakenly let a reporter from Russian news agency Tass into the Oval Office It happened as Trump was meeting with Zelenskyy.

TASS was not on the approved media list, according to the White House, and when the press office learned the reporter was in the Oval Office, he was escorted out by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Trump and Zelenskyy meet in the Oval Office Trump told Zelenskyy that Ukrainian soldiers have been unbelievably brave and talked up an economic agreement between their two countries.

“It is a big commitment from the United States,” Trump said. He added that the United States has little of the rare earth minerals that are abundant in Ukraine, and says those resources will support uses in the US including artificial intelligence and military weapons.

Zelenskyy talked up the prospect for liquid natural gas exports to Europe, but gently disagreed when Trump repeated his claim that Europe “did much less” than the United States to support Ukraine against Russia.

Zelenskyy called Putin a killer and a terrorist and told Trump there should be “no compromises with a killer.” He brought along printed photos to show Trump, but journalists in the room could not see them. (AP) GRS GRS