Zelensky: I respect Trump, I believe the relationship can be improved because Ukraine does not want to lose its partner

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he believes relations with the White House can be salvaged despite a very sharp public clash with United States President Donald Trump, which has disrupted talks on ending Russia's war against Ukraine.

The meeting with Trump on February 28 ended acrimoniously after a highly tense exchange in the Oval Office, with Zelensky quickly leaving and Trump saying that the Ukrainian leader had disrespected him and that he could "come back when he's ready for peace."

Zelensky, who was scheduled to meet with European leaders in London over the weekend – where he likely expects a better reception – left the White House without signing the minerals agreement with Trump that was the main purpose of the meeting, and a joint press conference was canceled.

In his first public comments just hours after the exchange of fire, Zelensky said in an interview with Fox News that he respects Trump and "of course" believes the relationship can be repaired because Ukraine does not want to lose its partner.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio later issued new warnings from the US administration to Zelensky, calling on the Ukrainian leader to apologize for turning the White House meeting into a "fiasco".

Rubio said on CNN that Zelensky should "apologize for wasting his time on a meeting that will end the way it did."

Zelensky previously said in an interview with Fox News that he did not feel he had anything to apologize for at the meeting.

The extraordinary development has raised new questions about continued U.S. support for Ukraine in its defense against a full-scale Russian invasion.

"We had a very important meeting at the White House today," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

"It's amazing what emotions can bring out, and I have determined that President Zelensky is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he believes our involvement gives him a huge advantage in the negotiations," Trump wrote.

He added that he does not want advantage, but peace.

"He has neglected the United States of America in the esteemed Oval Office. He can return when he is ready for peace," Trump wrote.

Zelensky told Fox News that it would be difficult for Ukraine to maintain the Kremlin's military power without US support, but he said Kiev would not enter peace talks with Moscow until it received security guarantees against another Russian military offensive.

"Ukraine wants peace, and we will have peace," he said, adding, however, that it must be a "just and lasting peace" and that "we must be in a strong position" to negotiate.

In comments to reporters as he left the White House for his Florida estate, Trump said Zelensky did not seem like a man who wanted peace and that he "overdid it" in their meeting at the White House.

"I want a ceasefire now... right now," Trump said as he left the White House for his Florida estate.

When asked by reporters whether he was considering cutting off military aid to Ukraine, Trump simply said that "it doesn't matter what I'm considering."

During the meeting, Zelensky insisted on the US commitment to security and said there should be no "compromise with a murderer," clearly referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Trump said Ukraine would have to make concessions and that Kiev should be more grateful for US support.

In their first meeting since Trump took office on January 20, the two leaders exchanged cold greetings in front of the cameras, raising their voices and reviving a dispute that Trump had sparked a week ago when he falsely blamed Ukraine for the war and called Zelensky a "dictator."

Trump told Zelensky that he was not acting "at all grateful."

"You're gambling with World War III, and what you're doing is very disrespectful to... this country that has supported you far more than many people say it should have," Trump said.

In a video from the Oval Office, Trump and Zelensky interrupted each other, with the US president telling his visitor: "Your country is in big trouble. You're not winning... You have a damn good chance of getting out of this because of us... You don't have a ticket."

The meeting is being closely watched for signs of whether the US will commit to further aid to Kiev or promise any specific security guarantees against further Russian aggression as part of any ceasefire or peace agreement.

The two presidents were expected to sign a framework agreement on U.S. access to Ukrainian mineral resources. The agreement, now in at least its third draft, was a source of friction between Trump and Zelensky earlier this month as they disagreed over the value of the deal and the lack of specific security guarantees.

Before the clash, Zelensky told reporters at the White House that he hoped the minerals agreement would be a step forward for Ukraine and said he wanted to discuss in more detail with Trump what the US was prepared to do for his country.

Trump said a deal with Kiev would be “very fair” and that a ceasefire in Russia’s war against Ukraine was “pretty close.” He said Ukraine would have to make compromises.

After rejecting Trump's call for compromise, Zelensky showed the US president images of alleged Russian atrocities.

In addition to meeting with the president, Zelensky has worked with key US lawmakers, influential religious figures and think tanks to bolster support for Ukraine, particularly within Trump's Republican Party.

Zelensky met with a bipartisan delegation from the Senate, where Ukraine enjoys strong support, to seek continued military aid. He also met with Franklin Graham, an evangelical leader who holds influence within the Republican Party.

Biden "talked tough," but...

The Oval Office standoff began as a briefing with reporters neared its end, when Vice President J.D. Vance responded to a reporter's question about Trump's contact with Putin that had upset Europeans. Vance said former President Joseph Biden had "talked tough" about Putin but had failed to stop the Russian leader.

"The path to peace, the path to prosperity, maybe is engaging in diplomacy," Vance said. "What makes America a good country is that America engages in diplomacy. That's what President Trump is doing," he added.

Zelensky responded to Vance, saying that he and European leaders negotiated with Putin and agreed to a ceasefire in 2019, when Trump was president, but that Russia violated it.

"He violated the ceasefire," Zelensky said of Putin. "He killed our people... What kind of diplomacy are you talking about, JD? What do you mean?" he asked. Vance responded with obvious anger.

"I think it's disrespectful to come to the Oval Office and try to dispute this in front of the American media," the vice president said.

Trump then spoke harshly, telling Zelensky that he had no ticket.

It was the second time in two weeks that Trump and Zelensky have engaged in a heated exchange. After Trump blamed Ukraine for the war, Zelensky said the US president was feeding off Russian propaganda. Trump responded angrily in a social media post on February 19, calling Zelensky a "dictator" who risks losing his country if he doesn't move quickly to accept a peace deal.

Trump downplayed the comments and struck a far milder tone at a joint news conference with visiting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ahead of Zelensky's visit, saying: "Did I say that? I can't believe I said that."

Trump also said he had "a lot of respect" for Zelensky, adding that the Ukrainians "fought very bravely."

Ukrainian analyst Sergei Harmash told Current Time that he believes Trump backed away from his earlier comments because meeting with a leader he had disparaged "would be a blow to his credibility."

"And he is interested in meeting with (Zelensky) because he needs to sign this framework agreement on minerals to record a diplomatic achievement and strengthen his image as a deal-maker," said Harmash, who has been in previous negotiations with Russia.

Ukrainian MP and chairman of the parliamentary foreign policy committee Oleksandr Merezhko told Radio Free Europe (RFE) that Zelensky "did not insult Trump, he defended Ukraine."

However, Andriy Veselovsky, Ukraine's former representative to the European Union, told RFE/RL that "raising the voice in the Oval Office to the vice president and the president, and terminating both of them, does not serve Ukraine's interests. This is not about two or three people. This is about Ukraine's interests."

Global diplomacy

The talks between Trump and Zelensky came during a week of lightning diplomacy between Europe and the US.

Meeting with Trump at the White House in an attempt to repair strained transatlantic relations caused by disagreements over Ukraine and trade, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on the US president to guarantee Ukraine's security if a deal is reached to end the fighting.

Zelensky is traveling to London, where Starmer is scheduled to host a meeting of European leaders on March 2 to discuss Ukraine and overall security issues for the continent.

Following Zelensky's meeting with Trump, Downing Street said Starmer had spoken to both leaders individually by phone.

Starmer "retains unwavering support for Ukraine and is doing everything he can to find a way forward towards a lasting peace based on Ukraine's sovereignty and security," the statement said.

"The Prime Minister looks forward to hosting international leaders (on March 2), including President Zelensky," it added.