Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed what might have triggered the heated White House quarrel that made headlines worldwide. According to Zelensky’s claim, the dispute could have started with the photos he brought along with him, alongside the Ukrainian leader. Here is the incident that ignited the obstacle hindering the Ukraine-US alliance.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed the reason that fueled the significant feud between him and Donald Trump. Originally expected to be a meeting between two allies at the White House in February, the event rapidly escalated into a heated argument witnessed by the global media.

Zelensky Explains the Cause After a month had passed following the fiery confrontation causing tensions between the two countries, Zelensky, in an interview with Time magazine, shed light on what could have triggered the US President. Zelensky, a boxing fan, had brought along with him a gift for Trump, the world heavyweight championship belt of his friend, Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk.

Display of Prisoners Initially, instead of the championship belt, a series of photographs showing the “horrendously weakened” state of Ukrainian prisoners during Russian captivity were shown to the US President. When Trump received the photos and began examining them, he remarked, “This is a tough topic.” Zelensky does not regret displaying the photos while trying to touch Trump’s humanity. Regarding his decision, the Ukrainian leader stated, “They have families, loved ones, and children. Everyone should feel what a human feels. What I wanted to show were my values. But then, the conversation took a different direction.” Trump pointed his finger at the leader of the under attack country, saying, “You are playing games with paper, gambling with millions of lives.”

What Happened to the Belt? When asked about the whereabouts of the belt he brought as a gift, Zelensky replied, “I don’t know. Maybe it’s still there.” After the intense dispute that followed, he had left the belt on the table during the scuffle. According to Time, White House staff found the belt and took it to Trump’s private dining room. This belt, referred to as a “memorabilia of failed diplomacy,” is being showcased along with other items such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s gold call device and a portrait of Trump sent by Vladimir Putin.