Ukraine’s Zelensky Set to Visit White House Amid US Policy Shift Towards War
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky is due to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, uncertain of what to expect as Washington is pursing warmer ties with Russia, seeking to negotiate a peace agreement on the Ukraine war, Bloomberg reports.
The meeting follows earlier public comments from President Trump, who initially described Zelensky critically before adopting a more conciliatory tone.
“Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that,” Trump told reporters Thursday, adding, “We’re going to get along really well.”
Central to Zelensky’s visit is seeking to demand that the US provides ongoing support to Ukraine, particularly in the context of a potential peace agreement with Russia.
During a joint appearance with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump avoided a direct commitment to deploying peacekeeping forces until a deal is finalized.
“I don’t like to talk about peacekeeping until we have a deal,” he stated.
European officials have noted that Zelensky’s visit includes the finalization of an agreement that would grant the US a significant stake in future revenues from Ukrainian minerals and resources, serving as compensation for US support.
Britain and France have proposed deploying “reassurance” forces to Ukraine following a ceasefire but are seeking US security assurances.
President Trump has recently held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, reversing long-standing White House policy of isolating Moscow. In addition, the recent US’s decision to not to support a United Nations resolution condemning Russia’s alleged agression raised concerns among the EU nations.
Putin has publicly expressed a positive view of the new US administration, highlighting Trump’s “pragmatism.” Trump commented on Thursday that “a lot of progress” had been made toward an agreement to end the conflict and expressed confidence that Putin would adhere to any terms agreed upon.
“It’ll either be fairly soon or it won’t be at all,” Trump said.
