Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky released an apologetic statement Tuesday, after a heated argument during a meeting with President Trump and Vice President Vance caused a diplomatic rift last week.
“Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right,” he said. He also thanked the U.S. for its past assistance to Ukraine, an issue which came up during the Friday press conference.
In the statement, Zelensky reiterated his desire “to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts,” an apparent concession to the Trump administration’s position that the U.S. should take the lead in peace negotiations with Russia.
Zelensky also appeared to walk back his statements that peace with Russia would take a very long time to achieve, stating that “we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal.”
The new diplomatic approach by Zelensky comes less than 24 hours after Trump issued an order to halt all American aid to Ukraine in the aftermath of the diplomatic spat. The president said in a statement posted to Truth Social that he had “determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
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