Ukrainian President Zelenskyy 'apologised' to Trump after Tense Oval Office meet, claims US envoy

The Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy was marked by sharp exchanges, with Trump reportedly warning Zelenskyy that he was “gambling with World War Three.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reportedly apologised to US President Donald Trump in a letter following their heated Oval Office exchange, US special envoy Steve Witkoff has claimed.

Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Witkoff stated that Zelenskyy’s letter acknowledged the tensions during the diplomatic meeting and aimed to mend ties.

"Zelenskyy sent a letter to the President. He apologised for the whole incident that happened in the Oval Office. I think it was an important step, and there’s been a lot of discussion between our teams, the Ukrainians, and the Europeans who are relevant to this discussion," he said.

Trump, however, who publicly mentioned receiving a letter from Zelenskyy during his annual address to Congress last week, did not indicate that it contained an apology. He acknowledged that the communication was an effort to ease diplomatic strains, especially in light of the US halting military aid to Ukraine.

The Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy was marked by sharp exchanges, with Trump reportedly warning Zelenskyy that he was “gambling with World War Three.” He also suggested that a ceasefire with Russia was “fairly close” and that a potential deal allowing US access to Ukraine’s natural resources would be “very fair.” US Vice President JD Vance was present at the meeting, during which Zelenskyy sought security assurances from Washington.

Since the exchange, Zelenskyy has called the dispute “regrettable” and reiterated his willingness to work with the US, including signing a minerals agreement. Meanwhile, US and Ukrainian officials are holding a meeting in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to resume peace negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia.

Ahead of the meeting, Zelenskyy met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and noted that Ukraine remains committed to securing peace.

"Ukraine has been seeking peace since the very first second of the war, and the only reason it continues is because of Russia," Zelenskyy stated on social media. He added that Ukraine’s approach to the upcoming talks would be “fully constructive” and expressed hope for “practical outcomes.