LONDON, March 2 (Reuters) - Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday he believed he could salvage his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump after their explosive meeting in the Oval Office, but that talks needed to continue behind closed doors.
In an extraordinary meeting that was broadcast live on Friday, Trump accused Zelenskiy of being ungrateful for U.S. aid, of showing disrespect to his country and of risking World War Three, casting into doubt Washington’s ongoing support for Ukraine.
Zelenskiy, talking to reporters after a summit with European leaders in London on Sunday, said he did not think the U.S. would stop its assistance to Ukraine, because as “leaders of the civilized world” they would not want to help Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, Zelenskiy said he remained prepared for any challenges that may arise. “As regards to salvaging the relationship, I think our relationship will continue,” he told reporters via a translator after the London meeting.
But he added: “I do not think it’s right when such discussions are totally open. … The format of what happened, I don’t think it brought something positive or additional to us as partners.”
Zelenskiy added that he remained ready to sign the proposed minerals deal with the United States, and that he believed the U.S. would be ready as well.
I’m more and more convinced the Trump administration is not negotiating in good faith. I don’t believe the minerals thing was anything other than something Trump thought Zelenskyy would never be able to say ‘yes’ to. Trump doesn’t want to support Ukraine, but he also needs to find enough of an excuse to save some semblance of face. So when Zelenskyy indicated the minerals deal could be done, with modifications, Trump/Vance cooked up that cowardly shitshow to try and paint Zelenskyy as unreasonable in order to give them enough of an excuse to walk away.
I understand why Zelenskyy is desperate for US support but I’m pretty much certain at this point it won;t be forthcoming. Even if Starmer/Macron et al persuade the two of them to re-meet it’ll just be something else next time.
The US, as a political force supporting stability and peace is no more. Its time the rest of the world accepted that and moved on because its not outside the realm of possibility that a US/Russian political/military alliance might exist relatively soon and we might need to be ready for that.
We supplied less than 100 billion in aid and he asked for 500 billion in return. Their countries GDP is less than half of that. There was no way it was ever in good faith. So during more than 2 years of war, the U.S. spent the equivalent of 4% of it’s defense budget helping defend Europe against an invasion. What is the point of spending so much on our military if it isn’t to have the soft power created by it. If we aren’t going to defend other countries, we should be demanding an 80% reduction in military spending. That would make it so we could fill social securities pockets easily. He’s going to give all foreign influence/respect up anyways, why not do it immediately and actually start clearing debt.
don’t waste your time. all of Europe and EU needs to go it alone here.
I admire his optimism, even if I don’t share it.
Trump is not to be trusted. Trump is a liar and a thief. I have never seen him to be anything else.It’s very, very unlikely that he is actually optimistic. Global leaders say things because of diplomatic reasons. That doesn’t always reflect their actual opinions.
Keep in mind he’s also making sure to publicly put the ball in Trump’s court regarding maintaining the relationship - especially obvious with his remark about “well of course they wouldn’t want to side with Russia”. Expressing optimism and openness publicly while maybe have reservations privately strikes me as a shrewd political stance.
Well for what it’s worth, he said salvage it with the USA, regardless of who he has to do it with. Call me crazy but for what it’s worth of Russia ever gets a non insane leader, I’d love for at least some of the trading relations to reestablish instead of us hating the country for the next 200 years
Ugh, I can’t stand the thought of them signing this deal! I get so frustrated every time he entertains it. I don’t want to see them get screwed over while the US still benefits.
The only thing potentially positive is if signing actually gets real help sent there, and the US somehow gets sane people back in power that will repeal the deal or at least amend it more favorably because it was made through coercion.
The lack of a promise to actually send military aid though, plus the profiteering that usually happens when the US “helps” someone makes me really want Europe and friends to come through before he makes a deal with the US.
Zelensky should just promise Trump all profits from any mineral extraction done in Crimea or other occupied territories once reclaimed.
Ukraine loses nothing if the territory is not reclaimed, and the US gains nothing if the territory is not reclaimed.
I don’t know. It feels Trump is looking to profit off of that territory either way. I imagine the bigger prize is if Zelensky gives in, but even if Russia breaks him off just a slice of Crimean profits or some of his favorite beach front real estate to develop, I’m sure that’d be enough for him to screw over Ukraine.
I feel he’d definitely rather stay on Putin’s good side than Zelensky’s also. There’s a reason Putin is getting so much more of his time, and it shows which party he values more.
Almost the full 4 years of Trump are left, even though it feels like we’re so much further into it and that’s a lot of time for him to cause trouble or steal from Ukraine.
Trump supports Putin and sees him as something resembling an equal. He doesn’t have that same respect for Zelenskyy. He sees Ukraine as the little guy, and being a bully, he tries to push them around to get what he wants from them. And anything Zelenskyy does to resist that bullying becomes an attack on Trump’s ego, which is a bigger deal to him than any war or geopolitical issue.
I mean, for fuck sake, Trump was yelling at Zelenskyy for supposedly risking millions of lives and world war 3 by not shutting up about security guarantees and just taking whatever deal they give him. But even with those stakes, he’s ready to end the entire process and cancel the deal over being “disrespected” and not getting thanked enough. Even if we take Trump’s statements at face value and assume he is being honest and operating in good faith, he’s still giant piece of shit that cares less about the lives of millions and the fate of the world than his own ego.
There may be a way to steer Trump into pushing back against Putin and supporting Ukraine a little bit. Maybe if someone could get actually get through to him and make him understand how everyone is laughing at him for being Putin’s bitch. Unfortunately, that would have to get past a nearly impenetrable wall of idiocy and self-delusion that keeps him safe from reality.
I agree with the last part. Putin must have something he really wants though, as I haven’t really heard anyone say he looks tough or even on equal footing to Putin in any of their dealings. That’s what I don’t get about the whole thing. I feel the Russian state has been exposed as a paper tiger and why he doesn’t look like the guy to beat the big bad after 80 years or whatever it’s been is beyond me. He could be an actual champion, but it doesn’t seem to be what he’s after.
I’ll be looking forward to the next AI generated video of Trump “taking over” Crimea, this time featuring a sunbathing Putin.
Lol I look forward to the burly and bearded Cossack women squat dancing with 2 left feet and shirtless Trump riding horses with Putin.
It’s not unreasonable for countries to ask for some small guarantees on trade if they prop ukraine up, especially when it’s do or die and it’s their help that allows a chance.
Nothing is free etc etc
Yes, but do you trust this administration to give a fair deal to Ukraine without exploitation? Turning Ukraine into another Haiti isn’t a great deal.
Also at the same time he’s promising Ukraine the deal of a lifetime, he’s making threats and economically bullying all America’s other allies while still trying to be buddies with Putin, Orban, and a bunch of other racists, authoritarians, and plutocrats. None of that screams trustworthy to me.
No, of course I don’t. Trump is dogshit.
