Zelensky Says His Relationship With Trump Has "Evolved" After Candid Talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged in a Fox News interview that his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump has "evolved" following recent face-to-face talks. The comments came during an appearance on Fox News' Special Report with host Bret Baier, which aired Monday.

Baier asked Zelensky to describe what took place behind the scenes at the meeting, asking whether the talks were about Zelensky trying to persuade Trump of Ukraine's pathway to peace or the reverse. Zelensky laughed and emphasized the value of open exchange:

"Who can convince him? We can have only dialogue. And I think this is good that we had very open dialogue and we know each other."

Later in the interview, when Baier observed that "your relationship has evolved," Zelensky agreed, saying, "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

The comments follow a tense Oval Office meeting in February between the two leaders and the vice president, which was widely reported to include heated exchanges. Earlier that month, Trump had criticized Zelensky, alleging the Ukrainian leader had taken advantage of the United States and calling his leadership "terrible." Since then, interactions have appeared more cordial, culminating in a recent joint press conference and a public statement by Zelensky thanking the United States for its support.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Zelensky wrote: "I thank President Trump @POTUS and his team for the negotiations. I thank the United States for its support. Together, we must – and can – implement our vision for the sequencing of steps toward peace."

However, Zelensky also used the Fox interview to directly contradict an earlier Trump comment about Russia's intentions. Speaking to Baier, Zelensky said he does not trust Russian President Vladimir Putin and that Putin "doesn't want success for Ukraine":

"I don't trust Putin. And he doesn't want success for Ukraine, really, he doesn't want — he can say it. I believe that he can say such words to President Trump. I believe in it, that he can say it, but it's not true."

Zelensky added that Putin opposes greater pressure from the United States, including additional sanctions.

At the joint press conference after the meeting, a Reuters reporter asked President Trump whether he had discussed with Putin "what responsibility Russia will have for any kind of reconstruction of Ukraine." Trump replied, "They're going to be helping, Russia is going to be helping. Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed." Those remarks briefly puzzled Zelensky on camera.

This exchange highlights the delicate diplomacy surrounding the Ukraine war: improved bilateral rapport between Zelensky and Trump on the one hand, and stark disagreement over Moscow's intentions on the other.