The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org. February 28, 2025 Trump Softens Rhetoric on Ukrainian President Zelensky Ahead of White House Meeting ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- During Starmer and Trump's Oval Office meeting, Trump also appeared to soften his stance on Ukraine, saying he has "a lot of respect" for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He also suggested the presence of U.S. workers in Ukraine to exploit rare earth minerals would provide security from Russian troops. Trump was also asked about his recent remarks calling Zelensky a "dictator." Reporter: "Mr. President, do you still think that Mr. Zelensky is a dictator?" President Donald Trump: "Did I say that? I can't believe I said that. Next question." Zelensky is meeting with Trump in Washington, D.C., today. .