Following the public disagreement in the Oval Office with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump stated, “Zelensky wants to go back immediately, but I cannot allow that.” Without directly mentioning Zelensky’s name, Trump voiced, “This man wants us to keep fighting.” Zelensky, in comments to the US media, expressed respect for Trump and the American people, stating that he did not think he had done anything wrong.

Departing from the White House, President Donald Trump addressed reporters by mentioning the meeting didn’t go well. He noted, “He played his hand too much. We are seeking peace; we are not looking for someone not willing to make peace. I am looking for peace. We don’t want to engage in a ten-year war and play games.” Trump highlighted concerns about how willing Zelensky is to make a peace agreement, saying, “I urgently seek peace. President Putin will also support this. This man, however, wants us to keep fighting.” Trump argued that Zelensky does not appear to be a man looking to make peace, adding, “Zelensky wants to go back immediately, but I cannot allow that. They must immediately cease fire. A ceasefire can happen right away. If you want to end the war, you sign an agreement within a certain period. This takes time. I want it to end immediately. He has suddenly become a big man. Because America is behind him. We will either end it or let him fight. If he fights, it will not be pleasant because he cannot win without us.”

NEW STATEMENT BY ZELENSKY

In a post-dispute interview with Fox News, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “He respects Trump and the Americans” and did not believe he had done anything wrong when answering if he would apologize to Trump.

Zelensky, who is in the US, acknowledged respect for Trump and the bipartisan support of Congress in addressing the Trump dispute, mentioning, “President Trump wants to end this war, but I say with all my respect, no one wants to end the fighting more than us.” He emphasized the need for a fair deal and security guarantees. When asked if he regretted today’s events, he replied, “Yes, I think it was not good because we experienced very different dialogues.” Regarding whether he thought his relationship with Trump could be repaired, he replied, “Yes, of course, because these relationships are stronger than the two presidents and are based on a rich history between our nations.” He expressed, “Everyone fears Putin will return tomorrow. We want a fair and lasting peace. We want security guarantees.” Zelensky associated Trump’s criticisms of being close to Putin, desiring him to be a mediator but on their side, stating, “We spoke about this very clearly today. President Trump wants to be involved; otherwise, he cannot bring them to the table. To be honest, I really want him to be more on our side.” When asked whether he would return to the White House if given the chance, Zelensky responded negatively, indicating, “First and foremost, we seek peace. That’s why I am in the US and visited President Trump.”

Zelensky highlighted that not all countries shared the same position on Ukraine’s entry into NATO, stating, “All right. If NATO is not happening, no one is pressuring it. Then let’s establish a NATO in Ukraine. This is my position.” He clarified that Ukraine received $100 billion in three years instead of the reported $183 billion from the US, with $67 billion being military aid and $31.5 billion cash. Zelensky emphasized their openness to accountability. Regarding the narrative of Ukraine’s near collapse, loss of heroes, millions of civilian deaths, and dictatorial leadership, Zelensky asserted that the reactions should be tied to the assumption that the US is Ukraine’s friend. Additionally, he reiterated not being against the mining agreement with the US. He expressed the desire to understand which parts of the agreement on security guarantees would be included and the subsequent steps.