US President Donald Trump has declined to confirm whether he will apologize to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for calling him a “dictator” last week.

During a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump did not retract his statement but emphasized his “respect” for Zelensky and Ukraine’s efforts in the war.

“I think we’re going to have a very good meeting tomorrow morning. We have a lot of respect. I have a lot of respect for him. We’ve given him a lot of equipment and a lot of money, but they have fought very bravely,” Trump said.

When pressed on whether he still considers Zelensky a dictator, Trump responded sarcastically, “Did I say that?” before quickly moving to the next question.

Trump’s comments last week came after Ukraine initially rejected a US proposal for access to its mineral deposits. He accused Zelensky of being a “dictator without elections” due to Kyiv’s decision to postpone voting under martial law following Russia’s invasion.

Trump acknowledged that his relationship with Zelensky had been “a little bit testy” recently, particularly as he initiated discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the war without Ukraine at the negotiating table.

“We want to work with him, and we will work with him. I think the President and I actually have had a very good relationship,” Trump said.

Trump also said that the US would assess whether Ukraine could regain territory seized by Russia, particularly along the “sea line,” as part of potential peace negotiations.

Zelensky is set to visit the White House on Friday, where the US and Ukraine are finalizing a critical minerals agreement, which could strengthen economic ties and deepen US interest in Ukraine’s security.

Trump, who has campaigned on ending the war in Ukraine, previously stated that Ukraine joining NATO is “not gonna happen.” When asked if he trusts Putin, Trump said he believes the Russian leader would “keep his word.”