GUWAHATI: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky refused to apologise for a tense exchange with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during a White House meeting on Friday, February 28. The confrontation, which took place in the Oval Office, saw Trump accuse Zelenskyy of showing a lack of respect and insufficient gratitude for US support in Ukraine’s war against Russia.
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Speaking in an interview following the meeting, Zelenskyy dismissed the notion that he owed Trump an apology but acknowledged that the dispute was unfavourable for both sides. He also warned that Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian forces would be severely compromised if Trump were to cut off aid.
Trump subsequently cancelled a planned joint news conference with Zelenskyy and took to social media to claim that the Ukrainian leader was “not ready for Peace if America is involved.” He added that Zelenskyy would be welcome to return once he was prepared to pursue a peace deal.
The disagreement escalated when Vance argued that Ukraine could achieve peace through diplomacy, prompting Zelenskyy to push back, citing repeated violations of agreements by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Vance criticised Zelenskyy for failing to publicly thank Trump during the meeting, while Trump warned that without a peace deal, millions of lives could be at risk, potentially leading to a global conflict. The talks ended abruptly, with Zelenskyy leaving the White House without signing a proposed agreement granting the US access to rare earth minerals in Ukraine. Zelenskyy views this deal as a prerequisite for securing an American commitment to support Ukraine in the event of a Russian breach of any future peace agreement.
Zelenskyy engaged in discussions with European leaders, many of whom reaffirmed their backing for Ukraine. Addressing the incident, Zelenskyy reiterated that the clash was regrettable but maintained Ukraine’s firm position on resisting Russian aggression.