In the aftermath of last week’s explosive Oval Office meeting between Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and JD Vance, Trump slammed Zelenskyy as ungrateful, ultimately booting him out of the White House. This dramatic showdown left the much-anticipated mineral rights deal, expected to be signed on Friday, unsigned and in limbo.
Trump’s attacks on Zelenskyy have continued. On Monday, he even suggested that Ukrainians could oust Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past few days, and now he’s now desperately groveling to President Trump. In stark contrast to his previous posturing, Zelenskyy is now seeking to mend fences and align himself with Trump’s strong leadership.
Zelenskyy opened his statement by pledging Ukraine’s commitment to peace: “I would like to reiterate Ukraine’s commitment to peace. None of us wants an endless war.” This is a shift from the rhetoric we’ve heard in the past, where the Ukrainian president seemed more focused on demanding American aid than negotiating for peace.
But now, faced with the stark reality that the U.S. under Trump isn’t interested in endlessly footing the bill for Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia, Zelenskyy is toeing a different line: “Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer.”
Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.
We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky — ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure — and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal.
But perhaps the most telling part of his statement is his recognition of America’s role in Ukraine’s survival, particularly under Trump.
“We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence,” Zelenskyy wrote. “And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this.”
Trump asked for gratitude, and Zelenskyy realized that he actually does need to show it.
The Ukrainian president also tried to smooth over what he calls a “regrettable” meeting at the White House on Friday. In a direct appeal to Trump, Zelenskyy said, “Our meeting in Washington… did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive.”
He’s not just admitting that the meeting went badly; he’s begging for another chance at a more constructive relationship moving forward. Zelenskyy’s words here show that he knows how fragile this alliance is, and he’s doing everything he can to repair it.
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Lastly, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s eagerness to sign the previously proposed agreement on mineral rights and security, an agreement that was put on hold after the tense exchange between him and Trump.
“Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format,” he said, clearly signaling that he’s willing to bend over backward to make the deal happen, no matter the circumstances. This agreement, he believes, will provide “greater security and solid security guarantees.”
I would like to reiterate Ukraine’s commitment to peace.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2025
None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under…
This about-face from Zelenskyy speaks volumes. He is now humbling himself before Trump, acknowledging the pivotal role the former president played in Ukraine’s defense, and pleading for a path to peace. Zelenskyy understands one thing above all: without Trump’s backing, Ukraine’s chances of emerging victorious are slim. He's been hobnobbing with other European leaders recently, but he must have done the math and realizes that Europe's support alone won't end the war.
Whether this groveling will earn him Trump’s favor is another question, but it’s a clear sign that Zelenskyy is conceding that he is not in a position to dictate terms.
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