Realizing His Error At The Oval Office Spar, Zelensky Writes Letter of Apology to Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has prioritized the common good over personal pride. In an extensive statement via X, he appears to have taken a new step toward ending the war with Russia by accepting the conditions imposed by President Donald Trump.

Following the disastrous meeting at the White House, Trump ordered the withdrawal of military aid to Ukraine. Zelenskyy’s response was immediate and direct. He said he was now ready to work under Trump’s “strong leadership to achieve lasting peace.”

Ukraine’s Difficult Choice

On Tuesday night, Ukraine’s leader delivered his evening address from the courtyard outside Kyiv’s Presidential Office—the same location where he gave the now-famous “We are all here” speech with his cabinet on the second day of Russia’s military action in his country.

At that time, he had turned down offers to flee, with many in the West expecting Russia to seize the capital within days. But three years later, the circumstances appear to have forced his hand.

Zelensky acknowledged that his meeting with Trump in the Oval Office “did not go the way it was supposed to.” He said he regretted how the discussions unfolded. “It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive.”

Until last week, Zelensky had insisted that Ukraine would only agree to peace if its security was guaranteed. However, Trump’s suspension of U.S. military aid to Ukraine on Tuesday left him with few options.

Peace Without Security Guarantees?

In a letter to Trump, Zelensky outlined what the first stage of a peace process could entail, including a naval and aerial ceasefire—proposals initially suggested by French President Emmanuel Macron over the weekend.

Trump responded positively to the letter, suggesting a thaw in relations between the two leaders, and indicated that Zelensky had agreed to work toward a peace deal.

However, one of the most striking shifts is Zelensky’s willingness to sign a mineral deal without the security guarantees he previously insisted on. The U.S. has suggested that American companies mining natural resources in Ukraine would deter Russia from violating a ceasefire. Yet, past American business involvement did not prevent Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

Moreover, it remains unclear what compromises Russia would need to make in any peace agreement. With European allies acknowledging their dependence on U.S. support, Zelensky is finding that Washington is still his only viable path forward.

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