Trump’s support crucial: Zelenskyy’s stark message after Oval Office showdown

In a stark contrast to the combative tone he adopted during his fiery meeting with Donald Trump at the White House, Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said the support of the US President was crucial in their war with Russia, and he was ready to sign the minerals agreement.

Taking to X, Zelenskyy expressed deep gratitude for US assistance in the Russia war, acknowledging bipartisan support from Congress and the American people.

“We are very grateful to the United States for all the support. I’m thankful to President Trump, Congress for their bipartisan support, and American people. Ukrainians have always appreciated this support, especially during these three years of full-scale invasion,” the Ukrainian President said.

Stressing the need for continued backing from the United States, Zelenskyy pointedly noted that Donald Trump’s endorsement of Ukraine’s defence efforts would be decisive in shaping the course of the war.

“It’s crucial for us to have President Trump’s support. He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do. We are the ones living this war in Ukraine. It’s a fight for our freedom, for our very survival,” he wrote.

Furthermore, Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine’s readiness to sign the minerals agreement, which is expected to strengthen economic and defence ties between Kyiv and Washington. However, he reiterated that such agreements alone are not enough.

“We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees. But it’s not enough, and we need more than just that. A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine. We’ve been fighting for 3 years, and Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side,” the President added.

In one of his several social media posts, Zelenskyy said it was “very important” that Ukraine’s plight was heard and not forgotten.

“It is very important for us that Ukraine is heard and that no one forgets about it, neither during the war nor after,” he said in the post alongside footage of his meeting with the Ukrainian community in Washington.