Zelenskyy Announces Ukraine-US Meet Days After Oval Office Spat With Trump: ‘Ready For Peace’

Last Updated:March 07, 2025, 08:29 IST

The Ukrainian leader's announcement comes days after President Donald Trump ordered a "pause" on US military aid to Ukraine following a tense Oval Office meeting

Several officials said Donald Trump is seeking an acknowledgement from Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the form of a public apology before closing a deal on Ukraine’s minerals. (Reuters Photo)

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Ukraine and American delegations had resumed work and were scheduled to meet next week.

Making the announcement at the Special European Council on Thursday, Zelenskyy said, “Ukraine is not only ready to take the necessary steps for peace, but we are also proposing what those steps are," expressing hope for a “meaningful" dialogue with US officials.

Zelenskyy also took to X stating, “I am grateful for all the support, and Ukrainians really appreciate that in a time of such great emotions in global politics, European integrity is preserved and Europe is truly trying to do the right thing. Meanwhile, Ukrainian and American teams have resumed work, and we hope that next week we will have a meaningful meeting."

The Ukrainian premier’s announcement comes days after President Donald Trump ordered a “pause" on US military aid to Ukraine following a tense Oval Office meeting, aiming to push Zelenskyy toward peace talks with Russia.

The move came just days after a disastrous Oval Office meeting in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance tore into Zelenskyy for what they perceived as insufficient gratitude for the more than $180 billion US has appropriated for military aid and other assistance to Kyiv since the start of Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022.

Zelenskyy’s Oval Office Spat With Trump

A White House official said Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal and wants Zelenskyy “committed" to that goal. The official added that the US was “pausing and reviewing" its aid to “ensure that it is contributing to a solution." The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance.

The order will remain in effect until Trump determines that Ukraine has demonstrated a commitment to peace negotiations with Russia, the official said.

The halting of military aid comes some five years after Trump held up congressionally authorized assistance to Ukraine as he sought to pressure Zelenskyy to launch an investigation into Joe Biden, then a Democratic presidential candidate. The moment led to Trump’s first impeachment.

In the leadup to the 2024 election, Trump vowed a quick end to the war in Ukraine, even once boasting that he could bring a halt to the fighting in one day. He has shown increasing frustration with Zelenskyy over the war while simultaneously expressing confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he has long admired, can be trusted to keep the peace if a truce is reached.

Trump earlier on Monday slammed Zelenskyy for suggesting that the end of the war likely “is still very, very far away." Zelenskyy had suggested it would take time to come to an agreement to end the war as he tried to offer a positive take on the US-Ukraine relationship in the aftermath of last week’s White House meeting.

News world Zelenskyy Announces Ukraine-US Meet Days After Oval Office Spat With Trump: ‘Ready For Peace’