Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has acknowledged the tense exchange that unfolded during his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on February 28, expressing regret over how events transpired but refraining from issuing a direct apology.
“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,” Zelensky stated on social media platform X.
He emphasized Ukraine’s commitment to constructive dialogue and cooperation, particularly regarding agreements on minerals and security. “Ukraine is ready to sign it at any time and in any convenient format,” he added.
The diplomatic fallout stems from a heated exchange between Zelensky and Trump during their press availability before official talks. Zelensky interrupted Trump and clashed with reporters, prompting Trump to criticize his demeanor and Vice President JD Vance to call out his failure to acknowledge U.S. support for Ukraine. As tensions escalated, Zelensky was asked to leave the White House, resulting in the cancellation of both the scheduled mineral agreement signing and a press conference.
Reports from Bloomberg on March 2 suggest that the U.S. administration privately urged European allies to seek a public apology from Zelensky for the incident. The situation took a further turn on March 3 when Reuters, citing a White House spokesperson, confirmed that Trump had ordered the suspension of all military aid to Ukraine. A Pentagon representative later corroborated the report to TASS, signaling a potential shift in U.S. policy toward Kyiv.
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