After an Oval Office dispute with President Donald Trump left him politically weakened, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now issued an apology, reversing his previous stance in an attempt to mend ties with the United States.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, revealed Monday that Zelenskyy sent a letter acknowledging his misstep. “Zelenskyy sent a letter to the president. He apologized for that whole incident that happened in the Oval Office,” Witkoff told Fox News, calling it a key development as the two countries prepare for negotiations.
During his recent address to Congress, Trump had referenced receiving a letter from Zelenskyy but did not publicly mention the apology. Instead, he highlighted Ukraine’s willingness to negotiate peace with Russia and a potential minerals deal that could give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth resources. That deal was supposed to be signed during Zelenskyy’s visit but was postponed due to the contentious Oval Office exchange.
The Ukrainian president had previously refused to back down after his meeting with Trump, even appearing on Fox News to defend his position. But with military aid on hold and U.S. intelligence-sharing suspended, Zelenskyy has now taken a different approach, issuing a written apology in an apparent effort to repair relations.
Talks in Saudi Arabia will focus on ceasefire terms and Ukraine’s future security structure. U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz, will lead discussions with their Ukrainian counterparts.
Trump has made clear that U.S. involvement in Ukraine’s war must come to an end. Whether Zelenskyy has truly changed his stance or is merely looking to regain favor with Washington remains to be seen.
