Exclusive: Volodymyr Zelensky breaks silence after storming out of Ukraine peace talks….See More

Volodymyr Zelensky was highly expected to sign a minerals deal with Donald Trump in Washington today.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky broke his silence after his disastrous meeting with Donald Trump in Washington. Earlier this evening, the Ukrainian leader became embroiled in a fiery exchange with the President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in front of the world’s media in the White House. Following the meeting, where Trump threatened to withdraw US funding for Ukraine’s war effort, a scheduled press conference that was set to follow the signing of an historic deal to provide US access to Ukrainian minerals was cancelled.

Taking to X, he wrote: “Thank you, America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you to the President, to the Congress, and to the American people. Ukraine needs a just and lasting peace, and we are working for this.” The White House subsequently confirmed that the minerals deal, which Zelensky had travelled to Washington to conclude, was not signed by either party.

The historic meeting, which came on the back of weeks when both leaders have exchanged insults and scathing comments, has flipped the balance of the Ukraine war upside down.

Last week, the US President called Zelensky a “dictator” after elections in the country were postponed following the Russian invasion. Yesterday, when questioned about the comments as he met Keir Starmer, Trump appeared to row back, saying “Did I say that? I can’t believe I would say that”.

The Ukrainian leader had accused Trump of living “in a disinformation space” following the comments.