Felt like everything from Trump pointing his finger at Vance was scripted.
It was televised because they wanted Zelensky to praise Trump and kiss his ass, and if not, play the big tough guy bullies which is what transpired. Trump wanted either televised. That is why Vance and the cameras were there in the first place. Trump usually does one on ones with world leaders. An opportunity for Trump to posture in front of the cameras. Trump and Russia have been through so much together. It's easy to understand how Trump could lose money running a casino.
If TrumpsUSA were serious about long term peace, they would have acknowledged that Putin has broken ceasefires before and offered genuine security guarantees to Ukraine and Europe. Instead, they coordinated this shakedown.
Zelensky had to know Trump’s position. He got sucked in a little taking the bait. Trump wanted Zelensky to kiss Trump’s feet and repeat over and over again how grateful he that he is sitting next to his majesty. once he saw how that meeting was set up, he would have been better off not having a meeting at all. But, all and all he kept his cool and fought back.
Zelensky had to know exactly what was going to happen: that any deal that Trump would offer would be hugely advantageous to the U.S. and Russia, and disadvantageous to Ukraine. Not offered in honesty and Trumps history on reneging on deal after deal.
Knowing all that, Zelensky very likely realizes that the only thing he can now count on for the U.S. is in being an ally/stooge for Putin. He may have gone through with the meeting, in an effort to publicly show the world just how much of a biased asshole and ignoramus Trump is