Washington, DC [US]: Following the dramatic fallout of Ukraine-US talks on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refused to apologize for his heated exchange with US President Donald Trump. In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Zelenskyy acknowledged the incident as unfortunate but insisted he had done nothing wrong.
Although he described the altercation as “not good for both sides,” Zelenskyy stressed the difficulty Ukraine would face in defending itself against Russia without US support. He also expressed regret that the dispute was televised but maintained his composure, stating, “Please be correct. I want to be polite.”
When asked if he owed Trump an apology, Zelenskyy responded firmly: “No. I respect the President. And I respect American people. I’m not sure we did something bad.”
Ukraine’s Security and US Relations
Addressing whether the confrontation was pre-planned, Zelenskyy called the situation “really tough” and questioned the strength of Ukraine’s relationship with the US, asking, “Where is our friendship?” He emphasized that Ukraine’s security was at stake, insisting that the “mineral deal is part of the structure of the security guarantee.”
Given Trump’s evolving relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin—often criticized as being too friendly—Fox News’ Bret Baier asked if Trump was too close to Putin. “I want him to be in the middle,” Zelenskyy replied, adding, “I want him to be on our side.”
Looking Ahead
Despite Friday’s fallout, Zelenskyy expressed optimism about mending ties with Trump. “Yes, of course,” he said when asked if their relationship could be repaired.
Zelenskyy ended the interview by apologizing to the world for the public nature of the confrontation—but not to Trump. “We are thankful and sorry for this. I mean this, we wanted very much to have strong relations,” he stated.