The rare earth minerals agreement, positioned as a path to Ukrainian-Russian peace talks, collapsed during a dramatic 20-minute White House meeting. Trump expelled Zelensky after accusing him of "playing with World War III," marking a public break in Western unity. The confrontation triggered immediate European responses, with Meloni calling for an urgent US-EU summit.
Pope Francis faced a new respiratory crisis, with Vatican sources reporting bronchospasm and mechanical ventilation needs. The afternoon bulletin indicated 24-48 hours would be needed to evaluate potential deterioration.
Macron announced reciprocal EU tariffs on US steel and aluminum in response to Trump's trade threats, while Dombrovskis warned of potential 7% global GDP impact. The markets responded with Tokyo recording its largest monthly decline since 2022.
By evening, Republican voices joined Trump in demanding Zelensky's removal, while reports emerged of potential US military aid suspension.