Oval office experience ‘regrettable’ — Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed regret over his tense exchange with Donald Trump during their meeting at the Oval Office in the White House.

“Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be,” he wrote in a post on X. “It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive,” he said.

Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to peace, stating, “None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. We are ready to work fast to end the war.”

He also outlined potential steps toward de-escalation, saying, “The first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky—ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure—and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal.”

Acknowledging US support, Zelenskyy added, “We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this.”

Regarding ongoing security cooperation, he emphasised Ukraine’s readiness to formalise agreements, stating, “Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it at any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively.”

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