US Secretary of State: Zelensky Should Apologize for Wasting Our Time

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for his handling of a tense White House meeting with President Donald Trump.

Rubio, who remained silent during the nearly hour-long encounter, stated on Saturday that Zelensky should apologize for wasting the Trump administration’s time. He described the meeting as a “disastrous failure” for the Ukrainian leader.

The Secretary of State questioned Zelensky’s approach, arguing that attacking Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly would not help bring negotiations to the table. He suggested that Zelensky might not genuinely seek a peace deal.

Rubio emphasized that Trump is the only global leader capable of ending the war, stating that diplomacy, not public demands, would bring the conflict in Ukraine to a resolution. However, he clarified that Trump has no authority to demand Zelensky’s resignation, adding that the Ukrainian president should return to negotiations when he is ready to reach an agreement.

Following the heated exchange, a White House official revealed that Zelensky had repeatedly insisted on US security guarantees as part of a metals trade deal. However, the US administration made it clear that security assurances would not be included in the economic agreement.

Trump reportedly told Zelensky he would not be welcomed back to the White House until he made a decision regarding peace with Russia.