After the Oval Office confrontation, Zelenskyy remains hopeful for stronger relations with America

After the Oval Office confrontation, Zelenskyy remains hopeful for stronger relations with America

Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the American people and leadership and expressed hope for stronger relations, ahead of his European tour. This came a day after a heated exchange with President Donald Trump at the White House, which left many uncertain about the future of the once-close partnership between the U.S. and Ukraine.

On Friday, a tense verbal exchange took place between President Zelenskyy and President Trump in the Oval Office, which dashed Ukraine's hopes of receiving strong cooperation from the U.S. However, following this heated situation, Zelenskyy thanked both the people of Ukraine and American leaders, expressing hope for strengthening future relations with them.

On Saturday, Zelenskyy arrived in London, where he will meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. This meeting, initially scheduled for Sunday, was expedited in response to the White House meeting the day before. Before participating in the European leaders' summit in London, Zelenskyy and Starmer will discuss the peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine and ensuring European security.

Meanwhile, Russia claimed that Ukraine launched three drone attacks targeting part of the TurkStream gas pipeline, but Ukraine has not commented on this matter.

French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu clarified that France's nuclear deterrence will remain under the sole authority of the French president. He stated, "France's nuclear deterrence, the design and production of its weapons, and all arrangements depend solely on the decision of the President of the Republic."

In the meantime, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated, "We are more committed than ever to Ukraine and to peace in Europe." She added that Ukraine is part of a free and democratic Europe, and there is no doubt about who the aggressor is and who is the brave defender.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry also described Friday's meeting as a "political and diplomatic failure," claiming that Ukraine should be excluded from NATO and that Russia will maintain control over its occupied territories.

French President Emmanuel Macron remarked, "If anyone is gambling with World War III, it's Vladimir Putin."

Additionally, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held phone discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov regarding the Ukraine conflict.

Amid these developments, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the American people and hopes for a stronger future relationship with the U.S.

This is a challenging moment for U.S.-Ukraine relations, but Zelenskyy has expressed his gratitude to both the people of Ukraine and the U.S., emphasizing the historic and strong bond between the two nations.