Ukraine-US relations 'back on track,' Zelensky's chief of staff says

Relations between Ukraine and the U.S. are "back on track," Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak said in an interview with Reuters published on March 26, almost a month after the Oval Office clash between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump.

"I think we have great conversations with the Americans," Yermak said. "I think we are back on track."

His comments come after two rounds of U.S.-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia on brokering a ceasefire agreement between Kyiv and Moscow. The most recent round ended on March 25 with Kyiv and Moscow agreeing to a halt on strikes against energy facilities and "the use of force" in the Black Sea.

Ukrainian-U.S. relations reached a low point following the White House clash between U.S. Trump, Zelensky, and Trump's Vice President JD Vance on Feb. 28, with Washington pausing military aid to Kyiv and critical intelligence sharing.

Within days, Washington resumed the assistance after Kyiv agreed to a 30-day ceasefire during talks in Jeddah on March 11, provided that Russia abides by it.

According to Yermak, the U.S. realized during the talks with Kyiv that the Ukrainian side "is very serious."

"Dear American friends, you understand that we are partners. This was our goal," Zelensky's chief of staff said.

Speaking about Russia's position, Yermak said that its condition to lift some Western sanctions in terms of the partial ceasefire is indicative of Moscow's approach to peace talks as such.

"It shows that they (Russia) did not accept an unconditional ceasefire, which is nonsense. Our logic is that we need to go in without any conditions," he added.

Ukraine has recorded eight confirmed hits against its energy facilities by Russian forces since March 18, when the Kremlin claimed to have ordered a pause on such attacks, presidential advisor Dmytro Lytvyn said on March 25.

The Ukrainian military denied on March 26 it had launched a drone attack at energy facilities in Russia and occupied Crimea after Moscow alleged Ukraine had violated a partial ceasefire agreement.

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The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell