Zelensky Expresses "Regret" Over US-White House Meeting... Reaffirms Commitment to Peace

Zelensky Says He Cannot Apologize to Fox News
Expresses Position After U.S. Announces Halt to Military Aid
Agrees to Proposal for Partial Ceasefire with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the 4th (local time) expressed "regret" over his White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump through his social media (SNS), while reaffirming his willingness for peace negotiations.

President Zelensky stated on X (formerly Twitter) that "none of us want an endless war," and expressed his willingness to agree to a partial ceasefire proposal with Russia, prisoner exchanges, and a ban on long-range attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure. This is the first official stance from Ukraine since the U.S. announced its policy to halt military aid to Ukraine.

A post by President Zelensky on X on the 4th (local time). He expressed "regret" about the White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump but reaffirmed his willingness for peace negotiations. Photo by X capture

The idea of a partial ceasefire was first proposed by France, involving a one-month suspension of attacks on air, sea, and energy infrastructure. The Washington Post (WP) reported that this is because it is easier to monitor than ground combat, allowing more effective supervision of ceasefire compliance.

President Zelensky also did not forget to express gratitude to President Trump and the United States. He said, "I deeply appreciate the help from the U.S. in maintaining Ukraine's sovereignty and independence," and added, "I remember the turning point when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelin anti-tank missiles, and I am very thankful for that."

The part that foreign media focused on was Zelensky's statement regarding his meeting with President Trump on the 28th of last month, saying, "The meeting at the White House did not go as planned," and "I regret how things unfolded in that way." He added, "Now is the time to correct this." Earlier, Zelensky had stated in an interview with Fox News that he would not apologize for the heated arguments that took place.

Restoring relations with President Trump is a critical task that will determine Ukraine's fate. The Associated Press noted Zelensky's humiliating appearance, saying, "It will follow him for the rest of his presidential term, perhaps for life," and pointed out that "whether relations with the White House are restored seems likely to decide Ukraine's future."

Last month, during the White House summit, Zelensky was expelled from the White House after a dispute with President Trump over ending the Ukraine war, during which he was insulted with the phrase "You have no cards." The mineral agreement that was supposed to be finalized at the summit also fell through. Subsequently, President Trump announced the U.S. policy to halt military aid to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance, speaking to reporters at the Capitol the previous day, pointed out that it is more important for Ukraine to show a strong willingness for peace negotiations than for Zelensky to apologize to President Trump for the White House meeting. He said, "What Ukraine is actually doing in terms of diplomatic efforts is far more important than public debates about whether Zelensky will apologize to Trump."