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Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ready to work under Donald Trump’s “strong leadership” to achieve a lasting peace days after their explosive Oval Office meeting.<\/p>\n
The Ukrainian president described the White House showdown as “regrettable” in a lengthy social media post in the wake of the US announcing a pause in military aid to Kyiv.<\/p>\n
Zelensky said “it was time to make things right”, after Trump had accused him of not being ready to come to the negotiating table.<\/p>\n
He also reiterated that Ukraine was ready to sign a minerals deal with the US, after the failure to do so at the Washington meeting, and outlined a proposal for how the war might stop.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Zelensky said Friday’s meeting “did not go the way it was supposed to be”, adding: “It is regrettable that it happened this way,” he wrote. “It is time to make things right. We would like future co-operation and communication to be constructive.”<\/p>\n
Ukraine woke to the news on Tuesday that the US was “pausing and reviewing” its military aid to the country after a breakdown in diplomacy last week.<\/p>\n
In his post, Zelensky offered an overt declaration of gratitude to the US.<\/p>\n
“We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence,” he wrote.<\/p>\n
“And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this,” he added, referring to the US anti-tank missile system sold to Ukraine during Trump’s first administration.<\/p>\n
During Friday’s meeting in the Oval Office, Vice-President JD Vance accused Zelensky of being ungrateful<\/a> for the military support the US had provided.<\/p>\n “Have you said ‘thank you’ once this entire meeting?” Vance said, before Trump told Zelensky he was not being “very thankful”.<\/p>\n Zelensky defended himself in the meeting, and began an interview with Fox News in the hours afterwards, saying “I’m very thankful to Americans for all your support.”<\/p>\n The Oval Office meeting between Zelensky and US officials last week was due to conclude with the two parties signing a deal that would grant the US access to rare earth minerals in Ukraine<\/a>.<\/p>\n After the clash, which saw Trump accuse Zelensky of “gambling with World War III”<\/a>, the Ukrainian delegation left without signing the deal \u2013 Trump told Zelensky “come back when you’re ready for peace”.<\/p>\n “We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively.”<\/p>\n Zelensky also outlined the first stages of how the war could be ended.<\/p>\n He wrote: “We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky \u2013 ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure \u2013 and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same.”<\/p>\n “Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal.”<\/p>\n A number of Ukraine’s allies have commented on the latest from the Ukrainian president, including Britain’s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who welcomed Zelensky’s “steadfast commitment to securing peace”.<\/p>\n It is “vital that all parties worked towards a lasting and secure peace for Ukraine as soon as possible”, a statement from No 10 said.<\/p>\n Likewise, French President Emmanuel Macron praised Zelensky’s willingness to “re-engage in dialogue” with Trump, the Elysee Palace said.<\/p>\n Days before his meeting with Zelensky, the US President had met with Macron, who travelled to Washington with a warning to Trump: “You can’t be weak in the face of Putin.”<\/p>\n While European leaders rallied behind Zelensky following the clash, Nato’s secretary general advised the Ukrainian leader to “find a way” to restore his relationship with Trump.<\/p>\n Speaking to the BBC the following day, Mark Rutte said he had told him “we have to respect” what Trump has done for Ukraine so far.<\/p>\n Zelensky’s statement falls short of an apology to Trump, which those in the US president’s camp had called for.<\/p>\n In Moscow, Vladimir Putin’s team earlier welcomed the US’s pause to military aid as likely to be the “best” contribution to peace.<\/p>\n “If the US stops, or pauses these supplies, this will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the BBC’s Steve Rosenberg.<\/p>\n Trump himself has not commented on the pause to aid, nor Zelensky’s response, however he did earlier berate the Ukrainian leader following his meetings with European allies at the weekend.<\/p>\n