Volodymyr Zelenskyy admitted that his meeting with Donald Trump in Washington last week “did not go the way it was supposed to” and called the outcome “regrettable.”
In an apparent damage-control effort following a pause in U.S. military aid to Ukraine, the Ukrainian president took to X to reaffirm Kyiv’s commitment to peace and said the country is ready to “come to the negotiating table as soon as possible.”
Zelenskyy also floated the prospect of a new minerals and security agreement with the U.S., a move seemingly aimed at rekindling Washington’s interest in Ukraine as political support for continued military aid weakens.
His statement—part plea, part pledge—appeared to be an attempt to mend what has become a tense diplomatic relationship with the U.S.
“We are ready to work fast to end the war,” Zelenskyy wrote, outlining a phased approach that would begin with prisoner releases and a truce in the air and at sea. “Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the U.S. to agree on a strong final deal.”
Perhaps the most telling part of Zelenskyy’s statement was his reference to Trump’s past support.
“We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence,” he said. “And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins.”
Trump has yet to respond to Zelenskyy’s remarks, which read as close to an apology as the Ukrainian leader has ever offered.
Read Zelenskyy’s statement in full:
I would like to reiterate Ukraine’s commitment to peace.
None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.
We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky — ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure — and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal.
We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this.
Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive.
Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively.
READ ALSO
Trump’s Day in Office: October 28, 2026
8:00 AM President Trump participates in Executive Time. 11:00 AM President Trump receives his Intelligence Briefing. 12:30 PM President Trump participates in a Policy Meeting. 1:30 PM President Trump greets the Artemis III Crew. 2:00 PM President Trump participates in a Policy Meeting. 3:30 PM President Trump participates in Signing Time. President Trump departs the White House en route to Chillicothe,…
Trump’s Day in Office: October 26, 2026
8:00 AM The president participates in executive time. 11:00 AM The president participates in a policy meeting. 11:45 AM The president participates in a policy meeting. 12:30 PM The president participates in a policy meeting. 1:30 PM The president meets with the U.S. ambassador to France and Monaco. Time not specifiedThe president departs the White House for Corinth, Mississippi. Central Daylight Time (CDT) Time not specifiedThe president arrives in Corinth, Mississippi. 6:00 PM The president delivers remarks. Time not specifiedThe president departs Corinth, Mississippi, for the White House.
EXCLUSIVE: State Department Looks to Expand Partnership With Serbia’s Newly Elected Parliament
The State Department said Monday it has seen the preliminary Serbia election results, including former President Aleksandar Vucic’s concession, a spokesperson told The Pavlovic Today exclusively. “We welcome the Serbian people’s participation in their parliamentary elections,” the spokesperson said. “We have seen the preliminary results, including former President Vucic’s concession.” The State Department also signaled that Washington…
