Zelenskyy hopes U.S. relations can be salvaged after Trump bust-up

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his relations with the United States can still be repaired – despite U.S. President Donald Trump confronting him in an angry White House meeting and publicly accusing the Ukrainian leader of refusing to make peace with Russia.

Asked in a Fox News interview on Friday night just hours after the furious exchange if the relationship with Trump could be salvaged, the Ukrainian President said: "Of course."

U.S.-Ukrainian ties are about "more than two presidents," Zelenskyy said, adding that Ukraine badly needs Washington's help in the fight against Russia's far bigger and better-armed military.

"It will be difficult without your support," Zelenskyy said. 

In a flurry of social media posts on Saturday, he said it is "very important" that Ukraine is "heard and not forgotten."

This followed the extraordinary scenes on Friday in the Oval Office where the years-long U.S. policy of massive support for Ukraine in the conflict with Russia collapsed in a shouting match.

The row also saw European leaders scramble to voice support for Ukraine after Zelenskyy was made to leave the White House early and without signing a minerals-sharing deal seen as vital to an eventual U.S.-brokered deal.

During the clash, played out in front of U.S. and international media, Trump and Vice President JD Vance raised their voices at Zelenskyy, accusing him of not being "thankful" and refusing to accept their proposed truce terms.

"You don't have the cards right now," Trump said. "You're either going to make a deal or we're out, and if we're out, you'll fight it out and I don't think it's going to be pretty."

Zelenskyy left shortly after, with Trump posting on social media that "he can come back when he is ready for peace."

The president told journalists later Friday that Zelenskyy was "overplaying his hand" and should agree to end fighting "immediately."

Zelenskyy, however, refused to apologize, saying: "I'm not sure that we did something bad." 

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later called for Zelenskyy to "apologize for wasting our time."

'Not alone'

Many European countries - already worried about Trump's conciliatory moves towards Russian President Vladimir Putin - were quick to express their support for Zelenskyy.

Some Europe leaders will travel to London on Sunday to participate in a meeting alongside Zelenskyy to discuss their response to Trump's push for peace in Ukraine.

"You are not alone," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, fresh off his own visit to the White House, said he had spoken to both Trump and Zelenskyy by phone following the clash and vowed "unwavering support" for Kyiv. Zelenskyy flew to London on Saturday.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for a summit "without delay" between the United States, Europe and allies on Ukraine.

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev called Zelenskyy an "insolent pig" who had received "a proper slap down in the Oval Office."