Zelenskyy calls for strong U.S. ties after Trump brands him a 'dictator'

Zelenskyy seeks strong US ties amid Trump feud, as tensions rise over Moscow outreach and security guarantees.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for "strong" ties with Washington on Thursday (February 21, 2025), as he met U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv a day after Donald Trump branded the Ukrainian leader a "dictator."

Tensions between Mr. Zelenskyy and Mr. Trump over the U.S. President's outreach to Moscow have exploded this week in escalating barbs traded in press conferences and on social media.

The United States is Ukraine's most important financial and military backer, but the U.S. president has rattled Kyiv and its European backers by opening talks with Moscow they fear could end the war on terms that reward Vladimir Putin.

The spat has turned personal with Trump falsely stating Zelensky is hugely unpopular among his own people and the Ukrainian leader in turn saying Trump had succumbed to Russian "disinformation".

Amid the war of words, Zelensky said Thursday he had held a "productive meeting" with Kellogg.

"We had a detailed conversation about the battlefield situation, how to return our prisoners of war, and effective security guarantees," Zelensky said on social media after the meeting.

"Strong Ukraine-U.S. relations benefit the entire world," he added.