In Fox News interview after Oval Office disaster, Zelensky thanks America repeatedly for support and stresses historical moment for U.S.-Ukrainian partnership
In an interview with Bret Baier of Fox News on Friday evening, President Volodymyr Zelensky repeatedly thanked the American people and the White House leadership for the nation’s strong partnership with Ukraine. Zelensky stayed on message throughout the conversation in an apparent effort to repair his administration’s relationship with President Trump, who ambushed the Ukrainian leader hours earlier in the Oval Office, ridiculing Zelensky for supposedly pursuing war against Russia.
“Nobody wants to finish [this war] more than [Ukrainians]. […] We have to be on the same side. I hope the president is on the same side as us,” Zelensky told Baier. When asked if he thinks he owes Trump an apology, Zelensky said, “I respect the president and the American people,” and argued that some matters should be discussed “outside the media” in private.
When asked if he was told to limit his Oval Office remarks to a U.S.-Ukrainian minerals deal that was supposed to be signed after Friday’s meeting, Zelensky said he felt compelled to share his thoughts with Trump about Vladimir Putin’s lack of trustworthiness when the subject of a ceasefire came up. “[My people] just want to hear that Americans will remain on our side.”
Zelensky said he cannot change his constituents’ attitudes about Russians after three years of war and countless atrocities. Asked if he’ll ever accept a peace deal with Russia, Zelensky said, “It’s about a just and lasting peace.” The Ukrainian president also raised Kyiv’s request for security guarantees, saying, “We are ready for peace, but we have to be in a strong position. […] We want peace. That’s why I’m in the United States.” He argued that the minerals deal contains “infrastructure” for security guarantees.
Zelensky also cautioned that he cannot end the war with a wave of his hand: “Nobody [in Ukraine] will stop. Because everyone is afraid that Putin will come back tomorrow” if the settlement isn’t lasting.
When asked if he believes Ukraine could hold off Russia without continued U.S. support, Zelensky told Baier: “It will be difficult without your support. But we can’t lose our values, our people, our freedom. […] Russians came to our houses, they killed so many people. [We’re] just going to forget it? No.”
At several moments throughout the interview, Zelensky mentioned Ukraine’s European allies, saying that Kyiv seeks better coordination between European and American policies.
Baier cited comments earlier on Friday by Senator Lindsey Graham, who suggested that Zelensky’s resignation might be necessary to repair Washington’s relationship with Kyiv. Zelensky said he appreciates his relationship with Graham but does not intend to step down as Ukraine’s president: “This decision can only be made by the people of Ukraine.”
Near the end of the interview, President Zelensky appeared to tear up when discussing Ukrainian struggles throughout the war. He consulted an off-screen interpreter twice for clarifications on questions: one about whether he regrets Friday’s argument happening in public (“Yes, I think it was not good”) and another about his hopes for salvaging his relationship with Donald Trump (“Yes, of course, because it’s a relationship or more than two presidents but of two people”).
“I want him to be more at our side,” Zelensky explained, after describing Trump’s negotiating philosophy as seeking to be “in the middle” between Ukraine and Russia.