President Donald Trump was asked several times on Thursday about comments he made last week, when he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator,” though he oftentimes either ignored the question or could not remember making the statement.
Trump met with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House on Thursday, when the two leaders addressed peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
The president told reporters he has had back-to-back “very successful” calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as with Zelenskyy, with hopes of bringing the war between Ukraine and Russia to an end.
“I think we’ve made a lot of progress, and I think it’s moving along pretty rapidly,” Trump said. “[Friday], the progress toward peace will continue when President Zelenskyy visits the White House. He’ll be here tomorrow in the early part of the day, and we’ll be signing a historic agreement that will make the United States a major partner in developing Ukraine’s minerals and rare earths, oils and gases.”
TRUMP SAYS DEAL WITH UKRAINE FOR US ACCESS TO ITS RARE EARTH MINERALS IS ‘PRETTY CLOSE’
Then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump Tower on Sept. 27, 2024, in New York City. (AP/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
The president and Zelenskyy will meet at the White House around 11 a.m. Friday, and Trump said the rare earth minerals agreement will provide the basis for a sustainable future between the two countries.
With Zelenskyy’s visit quickly approaching, reporters asked Trump on Thursday if he had plans to apologize to the Ukrainian president for calling him a dictator.
Earlier this month, Trump blasted Zelenskyy as a “dictator without elections” after the U.S. left Ukraine out of its initial peace talks with Russia.
TRUMP TEASES MEETING WITH ZELENSKYY AMID US’ ‘SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS’ WITH PUTIN TO END RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, left, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin
“A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. “In the meantime, we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only ‘TRUMP,’ and the Trump Administration, can do. Biden never tried, Europe has failed to bring Peace, and Zelenskyy probably wants to keep the ‘gravy train’ going.”
When Trump greeted Starmer at the White House on Thursday, one reporter asked the two leaders about having common ground, with Trump describing Zelenskyy as a dictator and Starmer describing Putin as a dictator.
After dodging the question, another reporter asked Trump if he still believed Zelenskyy was a dictator.
TRUMP CALLS UKRAINE’S ZELENSKYY A ‘DICTATOR WITHOUT ELECTIONS’ AS RIFT WIDENS
President Donald Trump shakes hands with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House on Thursday. (Carl Court/Pool via AP)
“Did I say that?” Trump asked. “I can’t believe I said that. Next question.”
After the two leaders met in the Oval Office, they faced reporters once again, and a reporter asked Trump if he would take the opportunity to apologize to Zelenskyy for calling him a dictator while praising Putin, who is a dictator.
Rather than address calling Zelenskyy a dictator, Trump spoke about the upcoming meeting with the Ukrainian president, saying, “I think we’re going to have a very good meeting tomorrow. … We’re going to get along really well.”
While Ukraine and Russia were a big topic during Trump and Starmer’s meeting, so were tariffs. One reporter asked Trump if Starmer had persuaded him not to impose tariffs on the U.K.
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer is greeted by President Donald Trump as he arrives at the White House in Washington on Thursday. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Trump said Starmer tried hard to convince him not to impose the tariffs.
“I think there’s a very good chance that, in the case of these two great friendly countries, I think we could very well end up with a real trade deal where the tariffs wouldn’t be necessary,” Trump said. “We’ll see.”
While the U.S. and U.K. started with a rocky relationship in colonial days, it has flourished into one that both leaders agree is special and will remain strong.
In fact, Trump was handed a letter from King Charles through Starmer, inviting the president and first lady for a state visit.
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“It was my privilege and honor to bring a letter with me today from His Majesty the King, not only sending his best wishes but also inviting the president and the first lady to make a state visit to the United Kingdom, an unprecedented second state visit,” Starmer said, noting this has never happened before. “It’s so incredible. It will be historic, and I’m delighted that I can go back to His Majesty the King and tell him that President Trump has accepted the invitation.”
Immediately following Starmer’s announcement, Trump thanked the prime minister and offered a compliment.
“What a beautiful accent,” the president said. “I would have been president 20 years ago if I had that accent.”
Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
