A planned press conference between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump’s Ukrainian envoy was cancelled, leading to political tensions between the two countries.
The event was originally intended to include comments to the media by Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Neither side delivered statements or questions from the media.
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The change was requested by the US side, said Serhii Nikiforov, a spokesman for the Ukrainian president.
Zelenskyy wrote in X that he has detailed and productive conversations with Lieutenant General Kellogg about prisoners, and that there is an effective security guarantee that will be part of the peace agreement and battlefield situation.
He later said the meeting “restores hope” but there was little additional details from the US side.
Lieutenant General Kellogg’s trip to Kiev coincided with a recent rebuttal between Trump and Zelensky, who are even more suspicious of the future of US support for Ukrainian war efforts.
President Zelensky said the meeting would “restore hope.” Photo: Reuters
At a White House briefing Thursday, national security adviser Mike Waltz said “some of the rhetoric” would come out of Kiev, saying “the humiliation against President Donald Trump is unacceptable.”
His comments accused Trump of accusing his US counterparts of living in a “disinformation bubble” after he denounced Ukraine for the war.
The US leader responded furiously, naming the Ukrainian president “an election-free dictator.”
When asked whether Trump was blaming Russia or Ukraine for the war – launched by Moscow in February 2022 – Waltz gave no direct answers.
Instead, he said Trump was “clearly very frustrated” with the Ukrainian leader.
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“Well, his goal here is to end this war,” he said, referring to Trump.
“And there was a continuous battle on both sides. It was one style of trench warfare from World War I.”
US national security adviser Mike Waltz said Trump is “very frustrated.” Photo: Reuters
He went on to claim that Trump is the perfect person to negotiate with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
US Vice President JD Vance added that he believes the conflict is coming to an end and that the war would not have been stopped without speaking to Russia.
The US government has previously floated a contract between Ukraine and Russia to provide access to Ukrainian mineral resources, but Kiev rejected the initial plan because it does not include security guarantees.
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What does peace deal look like?
Has Russia gained an “appetite” for peace?
European leaders, including the UK government, responded strongly to the way Trump began talking.
Foreign Secretary David Lamy said the UK will become a “bridge” between the US and Europe during Ukraine peace talks, adding that he doubted whether Russia “has an appetite to truly reach that peace.”
“That peace can be achieved by leaving Ukraine tomorrow,” he said after a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in South Africa.
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Is Zelenskyy a dictator?
France’s Emmanuel Macron, who is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington on Monday, said he’d say he’d say it.
The president should not be “weak” to Putin.
He also spoke with Zelenskyy to discuss recent diplomatic efforts between European partners and allies prior to his visit to the US.
Meanwhile, Russian officials are in Washington’s attention and are offering words of support in light of Trump’s stance.
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Who said what?
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “The rhetoric of Zelensky and many representatives of the Kiev administration is generally desired.”
The division between Ukraine and the United States comes as Russia approaches nearly three years on the day it began its invasion.
The Moscow Army attempted to justify Putin on February 24, 2022, saying it was necessary to protect Russian-speaking civilians in eastern Ukraine and prevent the country from joining NATO. A complete invasion crossed the border.
