Zelenskyy says Trump's backing is 'crucial' after US president berated him at White House

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that U.S. support is crucial following public rebukes from U.S. President Donald Trump. This comes after Zelenskyy cut short his visit to Washington D.C. The visit, initially intended to discuss a natural resources agreement, reportedly fell apart after Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy in the Oval Office in front of reporters.

During the meeting, Trump reportedly angrily accused Zelenskyy of "risking World War III" when Zelenskyy attempted to respond. This incident occurs amid growing unease in Europe about Trump's overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin. EU foreign affairs head Kaja Kallas stated in a statement that "It's clear the free world needs a new leader."

Upon arriving in London to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Zelenskyy struck a more conciliatory tone in social media posts on Saturday. "For us, it is critically important for us to have the support of President Trump," Zelenskyy wrote in a series of posts on X Saturday morning, adding, "He wants to end the war, and no one wants peace more than we do." Zelenskyy emphasized his gratitude for U.S. support for Ukraine during the three years since Russia's invasion.

During the heated exchange on Friday, Vance questioned whether Zelenskyy had expressed sufficient gratitude for U.S. support. "We are very grateful for all the support of the United States. I am grateful to President Trump, to the bipartisan support of Congress and to the American people. The Ukrainian people have always been grateful for this support, especially during these three years of full-scale invasion," Zelenskyy reiterated on social media.

Zelenskyy emphasized that despite Friday's clash, Ukraine and the U.S. "remain strategic partners. But we need to be honest and direct with each other to truly understand our common goals." He stated that Ukraine is ready to sign the minerals deal he traveled to the U.S. to finalize, but noted "it is not enough" and highlighted the lack of security guarantees he has been seeking. "We need more than this. A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine. We have been fighting for three years, and the Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side," Zelenskyy said.

Starmer, meeting Zelenskyy at 10 Downing Street in London on Saturday, said Ukraine had the UK’s “full support.” According to an official readout of the meeting released by Downing Street, Starmer expressed “his unwavering support for Ukraine.” The two leaders signed an agreement to expedite the provision of $2.8 billion (A$4.5 billion) in loans to Ukraine, which will be repaid through frozen Russian sovereign assets. Zelenskyy stated that the funds would be used to produce weapons in Ukraine, adding that he and Starmer discussed "reliable security guarantees."

Zelenskyy also announced that King Charles had accepted an invitation to meet on Sunday. Zelenskyy's trip to the UK comes ahead of a summit of European leaders on Sunday. The announcement of this summit comes amid growing concerns that the Trump administration's push for cooperation with Russia could exclude Ukraine from determining its own fate.

Just last week, Trump falsely accused Ukraine of provoking the war with Russia and called Zelenskyy a "dictator." The week before, he said that Ukraine "may end up being part of Russia" in the future while discussing the now troubled minerals deal. Russian officials expressed delight over Friday's heated meeting. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that Zelenskyy "finally received the dressing down he deserved in the Oval Office."

Meanwhile, many Western nations rushed to X to express their steadfast support for Kyiv. EU leaders released a joint statement saying Zelenskyy's "dignity is a testament to the courage of the Ukrainian people." NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte called Zelenskyy's heated meeting with Trump "very unfortunate." In an interview with BBC News, Rutte added, "It is important that President Zelenskyy finds a way to restore his relationship with the U.S. president and the senior U.S. leadership team."