President Zelensky Believes He Can Save His Relations With The United States

President Zelensky with President Trump and Vice President Vance in the Oval Room, White House. (Wikimedia Commons/The White House)

JAKARTA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday he was confident he could save his relationship with United States President Donald Trump after a tense meeting in the Oval Room, but talks had to continue behind closed doors.

President Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine would not hand over any territory to Russia as part of a peace agreement.

He said he was still willing to sign a mineral deal with the US, describing Sunday's discussions with European leaders to send draft peace plans to the US as a major development.

Speaking to reporters at London airport after a summit with European leaders in London on Sunday, President Zelensky seemed excited and grateful to European countries for their support, but was careful to balance his disappointment with the events of the meeting in the Oval Room on Friday with a clear desire to continue to talk to Washington.

He said he did not think the US would stop his assistance to Ukraine, because as "civilized world leaders" they would not want to help Russian President Vladimir Putin.

However, President Zelensky said he was still ready for any results.

"In connection with the rescue of relations, I think our relationship will continue," President Zelensky told reporters through a translator after a summit in London.

"I don't think that's true when such discussions are really open. The format of what's going on, I don't think it's bringing something positive or extra to us as partners," he added.

Tensions broke out in a meeting in the Oval Room, the White House on Friday, when President Trump called President Zelensky un grateful for US aid, showing disrespect for his country and risking a Third World War, which cast doubt on Washington's continued support for Ukraine in its three-year war with Russia.

That caused the signing of the US mineral deal with Ukraine to be canceled, as did the previously scheduled joint press conference.

However, President Zelensky said Ukraine was still willing to sign it.

"We agreed to sign it, and we are ready to sign it. And I honestly believe the United States will also be ready," he said.

President Trump is known to have made mineral deals a way for Ukraine to pay back billions of US dollars in aid.

Avoiding further opposition to the US, President Zelensky said he did not want to discuss what had happened, but took a more firm stance on future ceasefire agreements, saying Ukraine would not hand over sovereignty over occupied Ukrainian soil to Russia.

"Everyone needs to understand that Ukraine will never recognize whatever Russia occupies as Russian territory," he stressed.

"We hope this security guarantee will make Russia 100 percent unlikely to carry out aggression again," he said.