March 3, 2025: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed his appreciation for U.S. support in a video message on X, following criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump over Ukraine’s level of gratitude. Zelensky’s remarks came just days after a heated exchange at the White House, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused him of being "not thankful" and rejected his resistance to their proposed truce with Russia.

"Of course, we understand the importance of America, and we are grateful for all the support we've received from the United States," Zelensky stated. "There has not been a day when we haven't felt gratitude. Our resilience in Ukraine is based on what our partners are doing for us – and for their own security."

Zelensky’s statement followed his participation in a high-level security summit in London, hosted by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The event brought together key global leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, to discuss the ongoing war with Russia.

Addressing the need for security guarantees, Zelensky emphasized, "Everyone is united on the main issue – for peace to be real, we need real security guarantees. And this is the position of all of Europe – the entire continent, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Turkey."

The tension between Trump and Zelensky escalated on Friday during their first meeting since Trump returned to the White House in January. What began as an exchange of diplomatic pleasantries soon turned into a heated argument, with JD Vance pressing for diplomacy and accusing Zelensky of lacking gratitude for U.S. assistance. Trump echoed the sentiment, warning the Ukrainian leader that without American support, Ukraine would have already fallen to Russian forces.

As the war continues, Ukraine remains firm in its stance that peace can only be achieved through strong international security commitments rather than rushed diplomatic compromises.