Myroslava Petsa and Daniel Wittenberg
BBC Ukrainian, in the Oval Office

The day began with the same cordial routine the White House reserves for visiting foreign dignitaries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was welcomed by President Donald Trump at the door of the West Wing with an honour guard, and the leaders shook hands politely.

We were in the Oval Office as part of Ukrainian media pool, witnessing the well-rehearsed formalities.

Zelensky presented President Trump with the championship belt of Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk.

Trump complimented Zelensky’s clothing.

So far, so diplomatic.

But minutes later, what erupted was unprecedented to say the least. The genial tone devolved into acrimony and chaos. Voices were raised, eyes-rolled, aspersions cast – and all in front of the world’s TV cameras.

Journalists in the room watched with gaping mouths, as extraordinary exchanges followed.

Afterwards, our American colleagues remarked that they had never seen anything like it. “A scene like this was simply unimaginable in the White House,” one told me.

Continue reading: What it was like in the room during the shouting match