Zelensky called White House clash regrettable and proposes steps for peace

President Volodymyr Zelensky described his March 4 meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House as disappointing. "It did not go the way it was supposed to be," he said, calling the fallout "regrettable."

His remarks come amid growing pressure from Washington, where senior U.S. officials have signaled that Zelensky should apologize for the tense Feb. 28 Oval Office exchange with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The meeting ended without the signing of a planned U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement.

Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine's willingness to finalize the deal. "We are ready to sign the agreement on minerals and security at any time and in any convenient format," he posted on X. "We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively."

He also responded to Trump’s criticism of his recent remarks on peace negotiations. On March 2, Zelensky had described the talks as being in their earliest stages and a final deal as "very, very far away." Trump seized on the statement, posting on Truth Social that "America will not put up with it for much longer."

Zelensky pushed back. "Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer," he said. "Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians."

He suggested that initial steps toward de-escalation could include prisoner of war exchanges, a "truce in the sky" banning missiles, long-range drones, and bombs targeting civilian infrastructure, as well as a "truce at sea."

"Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the U.S. to agree on a strong final deal," he added.

His comments follow reports that Trump ordered an immediate freeze on all military aid to Ukraine on March 4, suspending over $1 billion in weapons and ammunition deliveries.

Trump’s senior adviser, Jason Miller, told CNN that the aid suspension is intended to pressure Zelensky into negotiations with Russia. Meanwhile, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told Fox News that Washington expects Zelensky to show "regret" for the Oval Office dispute and commit to signing the mineral deal.

US suspends Ukraine military aid to pressure Zelensky into talks - Trump adviser

The U.S. has suspended military aid to Ukraine as part of a pressure campaign to push President Volodymyr Zelensky toward negotiations with Russia, senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, Jason Miller, told CNN on March 4.

"President Trump is the only person, the only person talking about stopping the killing," Miller said. "Sometimes leaders can use the carrot, sometimes they can use the stick."

Multiple media outlets reported that Trump ordered an immediate halt to all military aid to Ukraine on March 4, affecting over $1 billion in weapons and ammunition deliveries. Miller defended the move, stating that Trump was using strong tactics to reinforce his demand for peace talks. "He expects Zelensky to get back to the table," he added.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that American military aid had indeed been suspended, citing Polish border reports. "This is an emergency," Tusk said.

Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pawel Wronski criticized the decision, noting that the U.S. had not consulted with any NATO allies before suspending the aid.

The move follows a heated Feb. 28 Oval Office meeting between Trump, Zelensky, and Vice President JD Vance, which ended with the cancellation of a planned U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement. Since then, some U.S. officials and Republican lawmakers have escalated their criticism of Zelensky, with some even suggesting he should resign.

According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the U.S. has provided $119.8 billion in aid to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. This includes $67.1 billion in military aid, $49 billion in financial aid, and $3.6 billion in humanitarian support.

Ukraine manage to bring back 7 children from occupied territories

Seven Ukrainian children have been returned home under the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, launched by the President of Ukraine, according to Daria Zarivna, director of the initiative and advisor to the Head of the Office of the President.

The children had been living in Russian-occupied territories and in Russia itself. Since February 2022, at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted from occupied areas and transferred deeper into Russian-controlled territory or to Russia, according to the Ukrainian national database, "Children of War."

Among the returned children is a boy who endured life under occupation with his parents. Zarivna described his ordeal, saying, "He endured forced passportization, psychological pressure at school, and a constant fear for his future. In an effort to provide him with an education in a free country, his parents decided to bring him to Ukrainian-controlled territory."

Ukraine considers the abduction of these children a war crime and argues that these actions meet the U.N.’s legal definition of genocide. Russia, however, insists that the children were relocated for their safety.

Estimates on the total number of deported children vary widely. Children’s Ombudswoman Daria Herasymchuk has suggested the number could be as high as 300,000, while Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets has put the figure at 150,000.

So far, the Ukrainian government has managed to return 1,233 children, according to the Ministry of Reintegration.

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children's Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, accusing them of involvement in the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children. Russia dismissed the ICC’s decision as "outrageous and unacceptable."

Air defense downed 65 Russian drones during the overnight attack

Russia launched a massive drone attack on Ukraine during the night of March 3-4, deploying 99 Shahed UAVs and decoy drones. Ukraine’s Air Force reported that air defense systems successfully shot down 65 drones.

According to the Air Force, as of 09:00, the downing of 65 Shaheddromes was confirmed in multiple oblasts, including Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Mykolaiv, and Odesa.

Additionally, 32 Russian decoy drones disappeared from radar without causing any damage. The attacks primarily targeted Odesa, Sumy, and Donetsk oblasts.