South Korea's Lee dodges 'Zelensky moment' at Trump meeting
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South Korean leader Lee Jae Myung avoids a public clash with Trump in their first Oval Office summit, as both sides stress their alliance despite tensions over trade and defense.
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US President Donald Trump, center right, speaks during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, center left, on August 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon).
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung narrowly avoided what he called a “Zelensky moment” during his first Oval Office summit with US President Donald Trump on Monday, as both leaders managed to sidestep public confrontation and project unity despite early tensions.
The meeting, which had raised alarm in Seoul following Trump’s last high-profile clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, ultimately concluded without incident. South Korean officials had feared a similar ambush, particularly after Trump posted a provocative message on Truth Social just hours before the summit, questioning the political situation in Seoul and referring to it as a possible "Purge or Revolution."
Despite the tense prelude, the summit proceeded with a display of mutual praise. Trump expressed support for Lee Jae Myung’s DPRK policy and reaffirmed the importance of the South Korea-US alliance. In return, Lee maintained a calm and diplomatic tone, even referencing Trump's book The Art of the Deal during a post-summit event, suggesting he anticipated the president’s approach.
"My staff was worried that we might face a Zelensky moment," Lee said with a laugh. "But I already knew that I would not face that kind of a situation… because I had read President Trump's book."
According to Lee’s team, Trump did not press the issue of South Korea’s internal political crisis during their private talks after Lee clarified that a recent raid had been conducted solely at the Korean side of a jointly operated base regarding investigations into the country's crisis.
No 'Zelensky moment' as leaders opt for diplomacy
While tensions had briefly flared, Trump ultimately softened his rhetoric, calling his earlier remarks a "misunderstanding" and a "rumor." The Oval Office meeting concluded with warm language and smiles, avoiding the kind of public rupture that had once seemed imminent.
Despite the display of unity, major policy questions remain unresolved. Discussions over how much South Korea will contribute to the cost of hosting 28,500 US troops are still ongoing. A tariff agreement, reportedly negotiated in haste ahead of the visit, has yet to be finalized or put into writing.
South Korea’s requests for permission to reprocess nuclear fuel and revise US shipbuilding laws also went unmentioned during the summit.
Observers noted that Trump’s approach followed a familiar pattern: create pressure early, then pivot to cooperation. “(Trump's) basic formula of first shaking the other person as much as possible, then getting what you want, was applied,” said Yang Uk of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul.
Jun Kwang-woo, chairman at the Institute for Global Economics, added that Trump likely sought to avoid unnecessary friction with Seoul amid other diplomatic challenges. “Trump is probably not in a situation now to create tensions with Lee while he's already under pressure with frictions with other countries.”
