Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has refrained from issuing an apology following a fiery confrontation with U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting in the Oval Office, but he remains optimistic about repairing their strained relationship.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Zelenskyy expressed confidence that the deep ties between the Ukrainian and American people would ultimately overshadow the tense exchange that unfolded on Friday at the White House.
The highly publicized clash, which also involved Vice President JD Vance, occurred during Zelenskyy’s visit to the United States—a trip prompted by Trump’s announcement that peace negotiations to resolve the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia were nearing completion. What began as a diplomatic engagement quickly escalated into a shouting match witnessed by viewers worldwide, laying bare the frustrations and differing perspectives between the leaders.
Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier pressed Zelenskyy on the fallout during an exclusive sit-down on Friday’s “Special Report.”
President @ZelenskyyUa thanks the US and Americans for their support of Ukraine + his response to President Trump saying he disrespected him and the Vice President and whether he owes an apology to President Trump-- #SpecialReport pic.twitter.com/eDKL6JKuqF
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) February 28, 2025
“Mr. President, do you think your relationship with Donald Trump—President Trump—after today can be salvaged?” Baier asked. Zelenskyy’s response was measured yet resolute. “Yes, of course, because it’s relations more than two presidents,” he said. “It’s the historical relations, strong relations between our people, and that’s why I always began… to thank your people from our people.” He emphasized his gratitude not only to Trump and Congress but, above all, to the American public, crediting them with helping “save our people.” Zelenskyy underscored his desire to preserve the robust partnership between the two nations, adding, “We wanted very much to have all these strong relations, and where it counted, we will have it.”
When pressed about the specifics of the heated exchange, Zelenskyy avoided assigning blame, saying, “I’m not sure that we did something bad.” However, he acknowledged that the altercation was “bad for both sides.” Reflecting on the incident, he stressed the importance of clarity and mutual understanding in maintaining the alliance. “I just want to be honest, and I just want our partners to understand the situation correctly, and I want to understand everything correctly,” he explained. “That’s about us not to lose our friendship.”
The confrontation reportedly stemmed from a sharp exchange over diplomacy and the war’s toll on Ukraine. During the White House meeting, Vice President Vance advocated for a U.S.-led diplomatic effort to secure peace between Russia and Ukraine. Zelenskyy, in turn, attempted to steer the conversation toward Russia’s actions since 2014 and the history of diplomatic efforts—a line of questioning that drew a pointed rebuke from Vance.
“Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance interjected. “Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict.” The remarks highlighted the tension between Ukraine’s dire wartime realities and the U.S. administration’s push for a resolution.
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