Tensions between Zelenskyy and Trump over the US President’s outreach to Moscow have exploded this week in a series of escalating barbs traded in press conferences and on social media.
The United States is Ukraine’s most important financial and military backer, but the US 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 Zelenskyy 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, Zelenskyy 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,” Zelenskyy said on social media after the meeting.
“Strong Ukraine-US relations benefit the entire world,” he added.
However, there was no joint press conference or statements after the discussions, as would typically be expected for a visiting foreign envoy.
