Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wouldn’t apologize for the meeting with President Trump, which erupted into a remarkable and tense spat, arguing that the situation was bad for both countries.
Fox News’s Bret Baier asked the Ukrainian president on Friday evening if he would apologize for the meeting, which was expected to result in signing a minerals deal but instead went off the rails, and he denied any wrongdoing.
“No, I respect the president and I respect the American people and if, I don’t know, I think that we have to be very open and very honest and I’m not sure that we did something bad,” Zelensky said. “I think maybe sometimes, somethings we have to discuss out of media, with all respect to democracy and to free media.”
The exchange occurred with reporters and cameras in the Oval Office, making the argument public. Trump remarked when reporters were asked the leave the room that it made for good television.
“This is not good for both sides, anyway, and I was very open but I can’t change our Ukrainian attitude toward Russia,” Zelensky said, when asked if the public spat served Ukrainians well. “This is very clear that Americans are the best of our friends, Europeans are the best of our friends and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, with Russia, we are enemies.”
Baier asked if the dynamic should have taken place behind closed doors, questioning if Zelensky regretted how it occurred. Zelensky looked out to an aide for what appeared to be an ask for a translation for “regret” before responding, “Yes, I think it was not good.”
“I’m always open to media but there are very sensitive things. I just want to be honest and I just want our partners to understand the situation correctly,” the Ukrainian president added.
The moment the meeting went from cordial to off the rails occurred when Vice President Vance said Trump was engaging in diplomacy and Zelensky questioned Vance, noting that Putin has broken ceasefire.
When asked by Baier what made Zelensky mad and caused him to change his tone, he suggested that it was Vance interjecting during the Oval Office talks.
“If journalists are asking questions to president, with all respect to vice president, I mean, he has his interviews, this is our dialogue,” he said.
A White House official told The Hill that after the quarrel, Trump and Zelensky went into separate rooms. The Ukrainians wanted the talks to continue, asking to reset. But Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz ultimately told them they had to leave the White House grounds, which Trump had ordered.
Trump and Zelensky were expected to hold a post-meeting press conference, which was cancelled. Zelensky then appeared on Fox in a scheduled interview later in the day.
When Baier questioned if he would ever signed a deal with Putin, Zelensky said any negotiations have to result in “just and lasting peace.”
“We are ready for peace, but we have to be in a strong position,” he added.
He also said in the interview that he would want Trump “more at our side,” when questioned on if the president is too close to Putin.
Trump, moments before the interview, told reporters that Zelensky “overplayed his hand,” suggesting Zelensky wants to keep fighting and signaling that future U.S. support would be in jeopardy if he does not want to end the war.
Baier asked the Ukrainian president if his relationship with Trump can be salvaged and, after asking for a translation, Zelensky replied, “Yes of course because its relations more than two presidents.”
“Strong relations between our people and that is why I always began to thank your people from our people,” Zelensky said. “This is very, very important and sorry for this, we wanted very much to have strong relations and I’m very confident we will have it.”
In the weeks ahead of the explosive White House meeting, Trump has pushed for an end to the war in Ukraine, speaking with both Zelensky and Putin.
He met earlier this week with European allies from France and the United Kingdom, both of whom argued any peace deal had to have guarantees that guarded against future Russian aggression.
