Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during an interview with Fox News Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier on Special Report With Bret Baier at the Fox News studios on Feb. 28, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Win McNamee | Getty Images
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy repeatedly refused on Friday evening to apologize for his stunning Oval Office clash with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance hours earlier.
“No,” Zelensky said, when Fox News’ Bret Baier asked if he owed Trump an apology, after Trump had accused him of disrespect.
But Zelenskyy said, “This kind of spat is not good for both sides.”
The Ukrainian leader in his televised interview also said that “it will be difficult for us” to defend his country from invading Russian military forces if Trump discontinues aid to Ukraine.
“That’s why we’re here,” Zelenskyy said. “It will be difficult without your support.”
“Your people help to save our people,” he later said.
He expressed gratitude to Trump and the American people for the U.S. aid provided so far.
“I’m very thankful to Americans for all your support. You did a lot. I’m thankful to President Trump and to Congress,” Zelenskyy said.
“You helped us a lot. From the very beginning, during three years of full-scale invasion, you helped us to survive.”
The clash earlier Thursday at the White House began when Zelenskyy disputed Vance’s argument that Ukraine could obtain peace with Russia through diplomacy, with the Ukrainian president noting how Russian leader Vladimir Putin has repeatedly violated prior agreements.
“He killed our people, and he didn’t exchange prisoners,” Zelenskyy said about Putin. “What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you mean?”
Vance blasted Zelenskyy for not thanking Trump in public Friday, and Trump said Zelenskyy was risking the deaths of millions of people, and of starting “World War III” if he did not reach a peace deal.
Zelensky soon after left the White House without signing a planned deal to give the United States access to rare earth minerals in Ukraine. Zelenskyy wants that deal to be a precursor to Trump guaranteeing support for Ukraine if Russia violates a potential peace agreement.
In his Fox News interview, Zelenskyy said he regretted his dispute with Trump and Vance was televised, and in front of reporters.
“We are thankful and sorry for this. I mean this, we wanted very much to have strong relations,” he told Baier.
Pressed if he should apologize to Trump, Zelenskyy said, “I think that we have to be very open and very honest.”
“And I’m not sure that we did something bad,” Zelenskyy said.
Asked if he believed that his relationship with Trump could be salvaged, the Ukrainian leader said, “Yes, of course.”
Shortly before the interview, Trump said Zelenskyy had “overplayed his hand.”
“He’s looking for something that I’m not looking for,” Trump told reporters outside the White House.
“He’s looking to go on and fight, fight, fight. We’re looking to end the death.”
Trump’s message drew sharp rebukes from European and NATO leaders, who reiterated their support for Ukraine in statements across social media.
Many of them also signaled that Europe is aware of the larger role it will likely have to take in ensuring that Ukraine can continue to defend itself.
“We will step up our support to Ukraine so that they can continue to fight back the aggressor,” said European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas in a post on the social media site X.
“Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge,” Kallas wrote.