Ukrainian President Zelensky defends his actions after a tense White House meeting with Trump and Vance. Despite accusations of disrespect, Zelensky insists that no wrongdoing occurred. European leaders show support, while Zelensky urges global attention on Ukraine’s ongoing struggles amidst the ongoing war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has refused to apologize following a tense meeting at the White House with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, despite the fallout from the encounter. The clash occurred after Vance accused Zelensky of disrespecting the US, while Trump supported this view, suggesting that Ukraine's actions were dangerously close to escalating World War Three.
The meeting, which was meant to seal a vital minerals deal, quickly deteriorated after Zelensky pushed for US security guarantees as part of a peace agreement with Russia. As a result, the agreement went unsigned, and a senior White House official later confirmed that Trump had no plans to revisit the deal.
In his first public comments after the meeting, Zelensky stated on Fox News that he did not believe he had done anything wrong, but acknowledged that some matters were better discussed privately rather than in the media. European leaders, including UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, expressed solidarity with Zelensky, emphasizing support for Ukraine amidst the rising tensions.
Meanwhile, Sir Bill Browder, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggested that Trump sabotaged the meeting to preserve his own image after realizing that Putin had no interest in a peace agreement. Zelensky later called for continued global attention on Ukraine, urging the world not to forget about his country’s struggles during this critical period.
