Trump praises Zelensky ahead of White House meeting.

On the eve of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed "a lot of respect" for him, calling him "very brave."

When asked by the BBC if he would apologize for previously referring to Zelensky as a "dictator," Trump appeared surprised and said he could not recall making such a statement.

Trump made these remarks following his discussions with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, where they focused on efforts to end the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. The U.S. president anticipated a “very good meeting” with Zelensky on Friday, stating that peace negotiations were "progressing quickly."

The upcoming meeting follows a controversial shift in U.S. foreign policy, with the Trump administration recently engaging in high-level discussions with Moscow—the first since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine over three years ago.

Trump had previously criticized Zelensky for not pursuing peace negotiations earlier, remarking last week, "You’ve been there for three years. You should have ended it… You should have never started it. You could have made a deal."

However, after meeting Sir Keir on Thursday, Trump took a more conciliatory tone, telling reporters, "I think we're going to have a very good meeting tomorrow. I expect us to get along really well."

Asked again about his past comments on Zelensky, he responded with apparent surprise: "Did I say that? I can't believe I said that."

Zelensky is expected to seek security assurances from the U.S. to strengthen any future peace agreement. When questioned about potential commitments, Trump remained vague, stating he was "open to many things" but preferred to secure a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine before deciding on enforcement measures.

During his visit, Zelensky is also set to sign an agreement granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals. Trump suggested that a strong American presence in Ukraine’s mining sector could serve as a deterrent against future Russian aggression.

"It’s a backstop, you could say," Trump explained. "I don’t think anyone will take risks if we have a significant presence there with workers extracting rare earths and other essential resources for our country."

The British prime minister has indicated that the UK is willing to deploy troops to Ukraine after the war as part of a peacekeeping force, but only if the U.S., as NATO’s leading member, provides security guarantees.

When asked whether the U.S. would support British peacekeepers in the event of a Russian attack, Trump praised the UK’s military capabilities.

"The British have incredible soldiers, an incredible military, and they can take care of themselves. But if they need help, I'll always be with the British, okay?" he assured.

NATO’s Article 5 obliges alliance members to come to the defense of any member under attack.

Sir Keir lauded Trump’s "personal commitment to securing peace" in Ukraine, affirming that the UK was "ready to deploy troops and aircraft in support of a peace agreement." However, he emphasized that any peace deal must not reward aggression or embolden hostile regimes like Iran.

Asked if he trusted Vladimir Putin, Sir Keir made it clear that his stance on the Russian president was well-known.

When questioned why he appeared to trust Putin while the UK prime minister did not, Trump gave a cryptic response:

"I’ve met people you’d think would never deceive you, and they turned out to be the worst. Others, who you’d assume are untrustworthy, are completely honorable. So, you never really know."

Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who was set to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio before the talks were abruptly canceled, told BBC News that Putin and Russia had "no real desire for peace."

"For any peace agreement to be effective, it requires both European and Ukrainian involvement," she emphasized.