President Zelensky Acknowledges that the White House Meeting at the End of February Did Not Yield Expected Results for Ukraine and the United States
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his views on the outcomes of his team’s January meeting with then-US President Donald Trump at the White House in a new interview. According to him, this diplomatic round in Washington did not lead to the results Ukraine was expecting and, unfortunately, did not have a significant impact on the development of the situation in Ukraine or on US-Ukraine relations overall. The head of the Ukrainian state shared this in a podcast by well-known conservative analyst Ben Shapiro. Zelensky emphasized that after a tense confrontation in the Oval Office, several meetings took place between Ukrainian and American representatives. While these meetings were not sufficient to resolve the war completely or to address all urgent issues, efforts to find mutual understanding were evident. “We started working more actively with the American side. Although these contacts have not yet concluded, I see some positive developments,” he underlined. Zelensky recalled intense disagreements with Trump, as well as with Vice President Joe Biden, highlighting that the Ukrainian team insisted on holding this meeting. “We constantly reiterated that it was very important for us to communicate with our American colleagues and discuss key issues. We had various formats of meetings: more formal, more philosophical, at different stages of our relationship development. And the meeting with President Trump was also meaningful,” Zelensky admitted. At the same time, he summarized that he considers this particular meeting in the Oval Office to be inappropriate from the perspective of Ukraine's assistance. “I am convinced that it did not contribute to our country’s interests. And, of course, it did not benefit the United States either. We must work together to find effective ways to end this horrific war,” he emphasized. The Ukrainian president also pointed out that strategic partnership between Kyiv and Washington should be based on mutual respect and support. “We have always aimed to remain respectful towards the American people and their choices. We value the assistance we receive from the United States. That’s why I hope for more productive and constructive meetings with Trump in the future,” Zelensky added. It’s worth recalling that on February 28, the Ukrainian president unexpectedly left the White House after one of the most tense meetings with Trump and Vice President Joe Biden. Media reports at that time indicated that the conflict in the Oval Office was so fierce that Ukrainian representatives left the filming zone earlier than planned. It is also known that this quarrel had political consequences and led to pressure from the British side. According to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, following the incident in the White House, London felt pressure from Washington, including requests criticizing the Ukrainian leader. This further heightened the tension around international support for Ukraine and its diplomatic relations with allies. Overall, the situation with US-Ukraine relations demonstrates that even high-level meetings in Washington do not always produce quick results. For Kyiv, not only diplomatic negotiations are important but also a long-term strategic approach to working towards peace and security. Zelensky emphasizes: our main task is to build an effective path to end the war, maintaining strategic partnership with the US while also considering the wishes of the Ukrainian people.