KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned Tuesday the Oval Workplace blowup with U.S. President Donald Trump final week was “regrettable,” including that he stands able to work beneath Trump’s “robust management” to get an enduring peace.
Zelenskyy’s remarks in an obvious effort to placate Trump got here in a social media publish on X, hours after the White Home introduced a pause military aid to Ukraine that’s vital to preventing Russia’s invasion,
He additionally mentioned Ukraine is able to signal a lucrativbe deal on rare-earth minerals and safety with Washington.
In an obvious reference to Trump’s criticism following the contentious White Home assembly on Friday that Zelensky doesn’t desire a peace deal, the Ukrainian chief mentioned, “None of us need an limitless struggle.”
“Ukraine is able to come to the negotiating desk as quickly as attainable to carry lasting peace nearer. No one desires peace greater than the Ukrainians. My workforce and I stand able to work beneath President Trump’s robust management to get a peace that lasts,” he mentioned.
The assembly “didn’t go the way in which it was alleged to be,” Zelenskyy mentioned. “It’s regrettable that it occurred this manner. It’s time to make issues proper. We wish future cooperation and communication to be constructive.”
The U.S. choice to pause navy help catapulted his nation into alarm and apprehension. Zelenskyy’s assertion got here earlier than Trump was anticipated to deal with the U.S. Congress later Tuesday.
“Concerning the settlement on minerals and safety, Ukraine is able to signal it in any time and in any handy format,” Zelenskyy mentioned. “We see this settlement as a step towards larger safety and stable safety ensures, and I really hope it is going to work successfully.”
Zelenskyy’s publish got here as officers in Kyiv mentioned they had been grateful for vital U.S. help in the war and need to preserve working with Washington. The nation’s prime minister, although, mentioned Ukraine nonetheless desires safety ensures to be a part of any peace deal and gained’t acknowledge Russian occupation of any Ukrainian land. These are potential hindrances for Washington and Moscow, respectively.
Ukraine and its allies are involved Trump is pushing for a fast ceasefire that can favor Russia, which Kyiv says can’t be trusted to honor truces.
A White Home official mentioned the U.S. was “pausing and reviewing” its help to “make sure that it’s contributing to an answer.” The order will stay in impact till Trump determines that Ukraine has demonstrated a dedication to peace negotiations, mentioned the official, who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate the help.
The pause in U.S. help isn’t anticipated to have an instantaneous affect on the battlefield. Ukrainian forces have slowed Russian advances alongside the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) entrance line, particularly within the fiercely contested Donetsk region some 700 kilometers (400 miles) east of Kyiv. The Russian onslaught has been expensive in troops and armor however hasn’t introduced a strategically vital breakthrough for the Kremlin.
Ukraine wants assist to combat Russia
Ukraine, which relies upon closely on international assist to carry again Russia’s full-scale invasion that started on Feb. 24, 2022, has feared that help might be stopped since Trump took workplace.
U.S.-made Patriot air protection missile methods, for instance, are a pivotal a part of defending Ukraine. Simply as very important is U.S. intelligence help, which has allowed Ukraine to trace Russian troop actions and choose targets.
“I really feel betrayed, however this sense will not be actually deep for some cause. I used to be anticipating one thing like that from Trump’s facet,” mentioned a Ukrainian soldier preventing in Russia’s Kursk region, the place Ukraine launched a daring navy incursion in August 2024 to enhance its hand in negotiations. The soldier spoke by telephone to The Related Press on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not approved to speak to the media.
On the entrance line, the place Ukraine is struggling to fend off the a lot bigger and better-equipped Russian military, one other soldier mentioned the U.S. choice would permit additional battlefield features for Moscow.
“Battle may be very pragmatic,” he advised AP, talking on situation of anonymity in compliance with navy laws. “If we’ve got weapons, sufficient ammunition, infantry, armored autos and aviation — nice. If not, then we’re achieved,” he mentioned.
He recalled a seven-month delay in U.S. aid that resulted in April 2024 however opened a door for the Russian seize of the strategically necessary metropolis of Avdiivka.
Olena Fedorova, 46, of the southern port metropolis of Odesa, mentioned she hoped Trump’s choice could be momentary as a result of “we actually need assistance.”
U.S. assist is significant as a result of Europe can’t absolutely present what Ukraine wants in air protection methods, mentioned lawmaker Yehor Chernov. “In consequence, this may result in a rise within the variety of casualties amongst civilians,” he mentioned.
The U.S. suspension of navy help is already being felt at a hub in japanese Poland that has been used to ferry Western weapons into neighboring Ukraine, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk mentioned.
The U.S.-Ukraine relationship has taken a downturn since Trump took workplace and his workforce launched bilateral talks with Russia.
Trump says he desires to get traction for peace negotiations. He vowed throughout his marketing campaign to settle the struggle in 24 hours, however later modified that time-frame and voiced hope that peace might be negotiated in six months.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal mentioned U.S. assistance is “very important” and has saved “maybe tens of 1000’s” of civilian and navy lives. However he emphasised that any peace settlement should be “on Ukraine’s phrases, because the sufferer nation.”
Ukraine desires “concrete safety ensures” from Washington, European international locations and Group of Seven main industrialized nations, he mentioned. Giving up territory to Russia, which occupies practically 20% of Ukraine, “will not be attainable” beneath the U.N. Constitution, he mentioned.
European allies stress assist for Kyiv
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned Washington’s choice may act as a spur to a peace settlement.
“The U.S. has been the chief provider on this struggle to this point,” Peskov mentioned. “If the U.S. suspends these provides, it is going to make the perfect contribution to peace.”
Poland’s International Ministry mentioned the U.S. had not consulted with or knowledgeable NATO international locations earlier than saying the pause.
Russia will probably attempt to use the halt in provides to increase its territorial features and strengthen its place in potential peace talks.
Russia’s state RIA Novosti information company quoted Andrei Kartapolov, a retired normal who chairs the protection committee within the decrease home of parliament, as saying Ukraine would exhaust its present ammunition reserves inside months. “We have to sustain the strain and proceed to focus on their bases and depots with long-range precision weapons to destroy the stockpiles,” he mentioned.
Ukraine’s European allies, in the meantime, reaffirmed their dedication to Kyiv.
The chief of the European Union’s govt proposed an 800 billion euro ($841 billion) plan to bolster defenses of EU nations and supply Ukraine with navy muscle.
The British authorities, which has been main European efforts to maintain Trump from pushing to finish the struggle on phrases that would favor Moscow, mentioned it stays “completely dedicated to securing an enduring peace in Ukraine.”
Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director-general of the Royal United Companies Institute, a London-based protection suppose tank, mentioned Washington’s transfer may encourage Russia to ask for extra Ukrainian concessions, together with demilitarization and neutrality.
Volodymyr Yurchuk in Kyiv, Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, and Aamer Madhani, Zeke Miller and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed.
Comply with AP’s protection of Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
