After tense showdown with Trump, Zelenskyy refuses to apologise

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has refused to apologise over his globally-televised vocal spat with his US counterpart Donald Trump saying, “I’m not sure that we did something bad”.

Zelenskyy remained firm in his position after his eagerly-awaited dialogue with Trump in search of peace in Ukraine dramatically went off the rails in Washington on Friday (February 28).

Later, speaking as scheduled to Fox News, Zelenskyy denied any wrongdoing on his part.

On the spat

“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,” Zelenskyy said.

Also Read: Trump, Zelenskyy verbal bout in White House has world stunned

“I think maybe sometimes, some things we have to discuss out of media, with all respect to democracy and to free media,” he added, referring to the fact that the entire exchange took place in front of a battery of journalists.

The Trump-Zelenskyy meeting was supposed to result in a minerals deal in exchange for long-standing American support to Ukraine against the Russian invasion, but it collapsed in front of television cameras.

Zelenskyy on America

“This is not good for both sides, anyway, and I was very open. But I can’t change our Ukrainian attitude towards Russia,” Zelenskyy said, when asked if the public spat served Ukrainians well.

But the Ukrainian leader made it clear that he considered America and Americans as friends.

“Americans are the best of our friends, Europeans are the best of our friends and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, with Russia - we are enemies," he said.

Public spat was wrong

“Strong relations between our people (Americans and Ukrainians), and that is why I always began to thank your people from our people,” Zelenskyy 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.”

Also Read: Trump-Zelenskyy showdown: What happened in that explosive 10 minutes

Pressed if the discussion should have taken place behind closed doors, the president remarked: “Yes, I think it was not good.” Vance to blame?

“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,” said the Ukrainian president.

Zelenskyy, however, suggested that the reason the discussion with Trump tripped was due to the interjection of Vice President JD Vance, prompting the Ukrainian leader to point out that it was Putin who had broken the truce.

A White House official told The Hill that after the quarrel, Trump and Zelenskyy went into separate rooms. The Ukrainians wanted the talks to continue, but US officials asked the visitors to leave the White House.

‘We need to be strong’

Trump and Zelenskyy were expected to hold a post-meeting press conference, but it was cancelled.

Zelenskyy said any negotiations would have to result in “just and lasting peace” for Ukraine.

“We are ready for peace, but we have to be in a strong position,” he said.

He also told Fox News that he would want Trump “in the middle". "I want him to be on our side,” he said.

Mending ties with Trump

Zelenskyy admitted that defending Ukraine against Russia would become more challenging if the US withdrew its support.

Asked about the possibility of mending ties with Trump after Friday, he said, “Yes, of course.”

Also Read: Trump's clash with Zelenskyy shows limits of Western allies' ability to sway US leader

“We are thankful and sorry for this. I mean it. We wanted very much to have strong relations.”

Trump and Putin

Ahead of the Friday meeting, Trump had taken a U-turn in America’s relations with Ukraine. He held a well-publicised telephonic conversation with Putin and seemed to blame Ukraine for the Moscow invasion.

Trump also publicly called Zelenskyy a “dictator” and made it clear that Ukraine cannot join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). His views have sent Europe into a tizzy.