Ukraine’s relations with the United States are “back on track” following high-level diplomatic engagements, Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said on Wednesday.
The renewed diplomatic momentum comes after a contentious February 28 Oval Office meeting between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump, which reportedly ended in acrimony. Trump and Vice President JD Vance had accused the Ukrainian leader of showing disrespect during the discussions.
In an effort to repair relations, Kyiv initiated a diplomatic outreach, including a March 19 phone call between Trump and Zelensky, which Yermak described as “great.” He noted that recent negotiations in Saudi Arabia, aimed at exploring a potential ceasefire with Russia, provided Ukraine an opportunity to demonstrate its willingness to collaborate with the U.S. on ending the three-year-long war.
“We have had great conversations with the Americans. I believe we are back on track,” Yermak stated. He contrasted Ukraine’s cooperative stance with Russia’s approach, which he claimed involved preconditions for any peace deal.
While the impact of Kyiv’s efforts remains uncertain, Yermak emphasized Ukraine’s commitment to maintaining strong ties with Washington. “We demonstrated we are very serious, and the Americans understood. Our goal was to reaffirm that we are partners,” he said.
The U.S. has been facilitating negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Saudi Arabia, though it remains unclear whether these discussions will yield concrete results or shift Trump’s stance on fostering closer ties with Moscow.
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