Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy found himself in a tense altercation with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during a meeting in the Oval Office on February 28th. The heated exchange led to an abrupt end to the meeting, with Zelenskyy leaving the White House ahead of schedule and a planned joint press conference being cancelled.
In an effort to ease tensions, Zelenskyy appeared on Fox News, where he expressed regret over the incident, stating, “I am sorry for this.” He acknowledged that the altercation was not beneficial for either side and expressed hope for improved relations between the two countries.
When asked by news anchor Bret Baier if he owed an apology to President Trump, Zelenskyy evaded the question, instead expressing gratitude for the support of the United States. “We have to be very direct to understand each other because it’s very necessary for us, very necessary to President Trump,” Zelenskyy said. He emphasized the importance of finishing the war in Ukraine, stating, “Nobody wants to finish more than we because we, in Ukraine, we are in this war.”
Despite being pressed again about the need for an apology, Zelenskyy maintained that he did not believe one was necessary. He suggested that the discussion should have been held in private, saying, “I respect President. And I respect the American people. And if – I don’t know if – I think that we have to be very open and very honest. And I’m not sure that we did something bad. I think maybe sometimes some things we have to discuss out of – out of media.”
Zelenskyy took to social media platform X to thank President Trump and the American people for their support. “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you, POTUS (President of the United States), Congress and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, we are working exactly for that,” he wrote.
The meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, which was intended to discuss an economic partnership, devolved into a shouting match. Trump accused Zelenskyy of disrespecting the United States and not wanting peace, while Zelenskyy defended Ukraine’s stance against Russia. The altercation has raised questions about the future of US-Ukraine relations and the potential impact on ongoing support for Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression.
