Asserting that he does not think he “did something bad”, Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refused to apologise for the Oval Office meltdown earlier in the day during the Ukraine-US talks with US President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
Zelenskyy had arrived to sign a crucial minerals deal with the US which Trump had insisted upon as a condition for America’s continued support in Ukraine’s fight against Russia. However, in an unprecedented showdown at the White House, Vance and Trump accused the Ukrainian president of not being grateful to the US for its support and warned him that his actions will lead to World War III. Following the heated exchange, Zelenskyy left the White House without signing the deal.
In an interview with Fox News later, Zelenskyy, when asked whether he owes Trump an apology for the spat, said, “No. I respect the President [Donald Trump]. And I respect American people. I'm not sure we did something bad.” Emphasising that the episode was not in the best interests for both the countries, he admitted that it would be difficult for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia without US’s support.
