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Days after a tense exchange in the Oval Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly sent a letter of apology to U.S. President Donald Trump, according to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.
“Zelensky sent a letter to the president. He apologized for that whole incident that happened in the Oval Office,” Witkoff, 67, told Fox News’ America’s Newsroom on Monday. “I think that it was an important step, and there’s been a lot of discussion between our teams and the Ukrainians and the Europeans who are relevant to this discussion as well.”
Trump Acknowledges Zelensky Letter, But No Mention of Apology
Trump, 78, disclosed last Tuesday that he had received a letter from Zelensky during his annual presidential address to Congress. However, he did not indicate that the letter contained an apology.
A top aide, Mykhailo Podolyak, previously told French outlet Le Point that Zelensky would not apologize.
In the letter, Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to negotiations. “Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians,” Trump read aloud from the letter during his speech to Congress. “We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence.”
U.S. and Ukraine to Resume Peace Talks in Saudi Arabia After Trump-Zelensky Spat
Amid rising tensions, U.S. and Ukrainian officials are set to meet in Saudi Arabia starting Tuesday to discuss a pathway to ending the ongoing war triggered by Russia’s unprovoked invasion.
The Saudi-hosted talks aim to refocus peace efforts following the fallout between Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Zelensky during their February 28 Oval Office meeting. During that discussion, Zelensky openly questioned Vance’s diplomatic approach to Russia, citing President Vladimir Putin’s history of aggression. The disagreement resulted in Zelensky being asked to leave the White House, and a minerals agreement that both sides were set to finalize was left unsigned.
Impact on Intelligence Sharing and Military Aid
The diplomatic rift led to a temporary halt in U.S. intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine, a move later confirmed by CIA Director John Ratcliffe. However, Witkoff suggested that intelligence sharing for strictly defensive purposes was not entirely cut off.
Despite these tensions, there are indications that the minerals deal alone may not be enough to persuade Trump to restore full support to Ukraine.
“They will sign the minerals deal, but I want them to want peace,” Trump told reporters Sunday. “They haven’t shown it to the extent they should.”
When pressed on whether the U.S. was prepared to resume intelligence sharing, Trump responded, “We just about have.”
Ukraine Seeks Security Guarantees
A major concern for Zelensky remains securing long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.
“These are not complicated things; they just … need to be put on the table, and everybody needs to be transparent about what their expectations are,” Witkoff said. “Then we can begin to have a discussion about how we compromise.”
Last week, Trump issued a warning to Moscow, threatening “large-scale sanctions” and tariffs in response to Russia’s intensifying military campaign against Ukraine.
Trump later expressed frustration over negotiations with Ukraine, stating that he finds it “more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine” than Russia. He implied that Kyiv may overestimate its leverage in the ongoing conflict.
