Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Donald Trump
Volodymyr Zelenskyy's official interactions and public statements concerning Donald Trump have been marked by a need to maintain a functional relationship for the sake of Ukrainian aid, despite past controversies.
During Trump’s first presidency, Zelenskyy was careful not to openly take sides in US domestic politics, even after reports suggested Trump withheld military aid to pressure him over investigations. Zelenskyy maintained a posture of non-interference in US elections while seeking continued American support against Russian aggression.
More recently, as Trump became a leading political figure again, Zelenskyy directly engaged with him, including a contentious February 2025 meeting at the White House regarding resource extraction. Following that meeting, which led to a temporary suspension of US aid, Zelenskyy condemned the attempt on Trump’s life in 2024 and expressed continued interest in dialogue for peace.
Context
The relationship between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump is significant because of the critical role of US security and financial aid to Ukraine, particularly since the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion. Trump's tenure as US President overlapped with the initial escalation of the conflict in the Donbas, leading to direct diplomatic interactions under unique political circumstances.
Any perceived shift in US support, whether under Trump or his successor Joe Biden, directly impacts Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russia. Therefore, Zelenskyy has consistently sought to maintain a working, if sometimes complicated, partnership with whichever US administration is in power.
Timeline
- US President Donald Trump congratulated Volodymyr Zelenskyy by telephone following his victory in the Ukrainian presidential election.
- Reports emerged that Donald Trump had allegedly blocked congressionally mandated military aid to pressure Zelenskyy into investigating Joe Biden and his son; Zelenskyy denied being pressured and stated he did not want to interfere in a foreign election.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attempted assassination of Donald Trump following the attack.
- Zelenskyy met with Donald Trump at the White House to discuss an agreement granting the US rights to extract rare minerals from Ukrainian soil, though the meeting reportedly turned into a heated exchange.
- Zelenskyy confirmed interest in meeting Donald Trump separately from Putin at the 2025 Budapest Summit to discuss dialogue for peace, though Trump later cancelled the summit.
Actions Taken
- Diplomatic CommunicationReceived a congratulatory phone call from Donald Trump following his presidential election victory.
- High Level Bilateral MeetingMet with Donald Trump at the White House to discuss a proposed agreement on rare mineral extraction rights for the US in Ukraine.
Key Quotes
he does not want to interfere in a foreign election.
I have decided to replace the commander of the Air Forces... I am eternally grateful to all our military pilots
Zelenskyy condemned the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
Criticism
Reports suggested Donald Trump blocked vital US military aid in 2019 to pressure Zelenskyy into launching investigations that benefited Trump politically.