Zelensky apologized to Trump for the Oval Office incident

On March 11, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sent a formal letter of apology to Trump following a recent tense exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. This was confirmed by US envoy Steve Witkoff in an interview with Fox News. Witkov said Zelenskyy's apology letter was "an important step in restoring diplomatic relations" and stressed that the two sides are working to repair relations between Washington and Kyiv. The move comes as the two sides prepare for high-level talks in Saudi Arabia, focusing on ceasefire talks and a possible U.S.-Ukraine critical minerals agreement. Although Zelensky has already expressed regret over the incident, Ukrainian officials are divided on how to respond to the incident. Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to the Ukrainian president, insisted that "we will not apologize for a mistake that does not exist." This indicates that there is tension within the Ukrainian government in terms of diplomatic consequences. The apology comes against the backdrop of the temporary suspension of US military assistance to Ukraine due to a dispute over the Oval Office. It is unclear whether this move will improve Kiev's position in the Trump administration.