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Zelensky calls White House clash with Donald Trump ‘regrettable,’ says ready to work for peace
Volodymyr Zelensky said that the meeting at the White House did not go as planned and expressed regret over how it unfolded.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday called his recent clash with Donald Trump “regrettable,” expressing his willingness to work under the US President's leadership to achieve lasting peace and stressing that it was “time to make things right.”
“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,” Zelensky wrote on X.
“It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive,” the Ukrainian leader added.
Days after a tense meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump ordered a halt to military assistance, aiming to pressure Kyiv into peace talks with Russia.
Officials in Kyiv expressed gratitude for US support in the war and reiterated their desire to continue working with Washington.
Ukraine and its allies are concerned that Trump may push for a quick ceasefire that would benefit Russia, a nation Kyiv claims cannot be trusted to uphold ceasefires.
A White House official stated that the US. is “pausing and reviewing” its aid to ensure it contributes to a solution. The suspension will remain until Trump determines that Ukraine has shown a commitment to peace talks, the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, added.
The halt in US aid is not expected to impact the battlefield immediately. Ukrainian forces have managed to slow Russian advances along the 1,000-kilometre (600-mile) front line, especially in the contested Donetsk region, around 700 kilometres (400 miles) east of Kyiv.
The Russian offensive has been costly in terms of troops and equipment but has not resulted in any significant strategic breakthroughs for Moscow.
Ukraine, heavily dependent on foreign aid to fend off Russia's full-scale invasion, which began on February 24, 2022, has feared this moment since Trump assumed office.
US-made Patriot missile defence systems are crucial for Ukraine’s protection, alongside US intelligence, which has helped track Russian troop movements and select military targets.
Olena Fedorova, 46, a resident of the southern port city of Odesa, expressed hope that Trump’s decision would be temporary, as “we really need help.”
US support remains critical, especially as Europe cannot fully meet Ukraine’s air defence needs, said lawmaker Yehor Chernov. “This will lead to more civilian casualties,” he warned.
The suspension of US military aid is already being felt in Poland, where a hub used to ferry Western weapons into Ukraine is seeing a slowdown, said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The relationship between the US and Ukraine has deteriorated since Trump took office, and his administration’s talks with Russia have only added to the strain.
With AP inputs
