Following a tumultuous day of failed talks at the White House, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dared to venture further into the lion’s den when he appeared on Fox News on Friday night. Zelensky sat down with Bret Baier to discuss the day’s events, including what some are describing as an ambush on Zelensky from President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
Among other things, Vance told Zelensky during the meeting, “I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media... You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict.” Apparently taking this to heart, Zelensky was sure to thank the administration, lawmakers and the American public multiple times throughout the interview, as well as on social media.
Zelensky stayed remarkably on message throughout his interview with Baier, repeatedly thanking Americans for their support, echoing statements he made earlier in the day on X, where he thanked Trump, Congress, and the American people.
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He also managed to carefully avoid accepting responsibility for the altercation in the Oval Office, declining the opportunity to apologize to Trump when Baier offered it and instead stressing the need for America and Ukraine to be allies in order to stop Vladimir Putin. “I think that we have to be on the same side,” Zelensky told Baier.
Zelensky said he didn’t know whether the confrontation in the Oval Office was a planned ambush, as some Democrats have suggested, simply saying that, “It was just a really tough situation.”
In response to Baier’s direct question, asking if Zelensky felt that he owed Trump an apology, Zelensky said, “No. I respect president. And I respect American people. And… I think that we have to be very open and very honest. And I’m not sure that we did something bad.” Ultimately, he said, the disagreement was “not good for both sides.”
Zelensky was also asked about Senator Lindsey Graham’s suggestion that he consider resigning—a suggestion he rejected, emphasizing that such a decision belonged to the people of Ukraine. However, he added that if the United States would support NATO, “I think that is enough for Ukraine I did all I have to do. And if somebody is not happy with me, OK.”
Baier ended the interview by asking Zelensky if he felt the relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine could be salvaged, Zelensky responded, “Of course,” because the relationship between the two countries goes beyond that of the relationship between two presidents, “It’s historical relations, strong relations between our people."
While Zelensky had shied away from apologizing to Trump earlier in the interview, he concluded the interview with a more generalized apology: “We are thankful. And sorry for this, I mean, we wanted very much to have only strong relations and I’m very calm that we will have it.”
As a result of tensions flaring in the Oval Office earlier today, President Zelensky departed the White House without signing the rare minerals deal that had been the purpose of his visit.
