Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday conveyed his sincere gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump, Congress, and American people for standing by him throughout Ukraine’s three-year fight against Russian occupation. This came a day after he had a tense confrontation with Trump at the White House, during which the U.S. President criticized Zelenskyy for failing to be grateful enough for the support.
“We are very grateful to the United States for all the support. I’m thankful to President Trump, Congress for their bipartisan support, and the American people. Ukrainians have always appreciated this support, especially during these three years of full-scale invasion,” Zelenskyy posted on X.
Strengthening U.S.-Ukraine Relations
Zelenskyy reiterated that the relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine is not tied to any leader, describing it as a “historic and strong bond between our people.” He emphasized that Ukraine appreciates the relationship with the U.S. and is optimistic about continuing close diplomatic relations.
“American people saved our people. Human and human rights first. We’re sincerely grateful. We need only good relations with America, and I really hope we will have them,” he added.
The Blistering Exchange with Trump
Zelenskyy’s comments come on the heels of a tense exchange in the Oval Office, as Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly chastised him for not being sufficiently grateful for American assistance.
“You must be grateful. You do not have the cards,” Trump instructed Zelenskyy during the sit-down, nudging him to express more openly the American assistance. Vance paraphrased, “Did you ever say thank you during this whole meeting?”
After the tussle, Zelenskyy has repeatedly issued public declarations expressing gratitude to the U.S. and its allies for assistance.
Ukraine’s Continued Plea for Assistance
With all the tensions notwithstanding, Zelenskyy is keenly interested in the additional aid as well as diplomatic support. Once the meeting ended, he had expressed his thanks again, commenting, “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.”
Although the encounter in Washington laid bare diplomatic frictions, the leader of Ukraine still reiterates the decisive importance of the U.S. in the struggle of the country for sovereignty.
