Trump envoy pulls out of joint presser with Zelensky, Ukraine says

President Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine pulled out of a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday, amid escalating tensions with the White House.

Zelensky welcomed retired Gen. Keith Kellogg to the Ukrainian presidential palace for a meeting, but the two would not hold a press conference, the Ukrainian president’s spokesperson Serhii Nikiforov told The Associated Press. Nikiforov said the cancellation was in accordance with U.S. wishes. 

In a post on the social media site X, Zelensky said he had a “productive” meeting with Kellogg. 

Zelensky said it is important for Ukraine “that American strength is felt,” and said Ukraine is ready for “a strong, effective investment and security agreement” with Trump.

The U.S. proposed that U.S. investment in Ukrainian critical minerals and rare earth metals serve as a security guarantee that deters any future, Russian aggression, if a peace deal is reached to halt the three-year war. 

“We have proposed the fastest and most constructive way to achieve results. Our team is ready to work 24/7,” Zelensky said. 

The canceled press conference comes amid a tit for tat between Trump and Zelensky. Trump unleashed an online tirade against Zelensky on Wednesday, calling him a “dictator,” and blamed Ukraine for Russia’s three-year war against the country, which started when Moscow launched an unprovoked, full-scale invasion in February 2022. 

Trump’s vitriol against Zelensky came after the Ukrainian president dismissed an initial proposal from the U.S. calling for 50 percent ownership of Ukraine’s rare Earth minerals. When Trump suggested Ukraine was to blame for Russia’s invasion and cited false statistics of Zelensky’s approval rating as president, the Ukrainian leader criticized Trump as living in an misinformation bubble.

The escalating tensions come as Trump is reaching out to Russian President Vladimir Putin to rebuild U.S.-Russia ties, and tries to negotiate an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The outreach is a break from the strategy of isolation initiated by the former Biden administration. 

This story was updated at 1:54 p.m.