State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce addressed reporters Thursday, offering insight into the U.S. response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent letter to President Donald Trump.
The letter, which included an apology and commitments to pursuing peace, follows a tense Oval Office clash last Friday between Zelenskyy, Trump, and Vice President JD Vance. Bruce’s remarks came hours after a Russian attack on a hotel in Ukraine where American aid workers narrowly escaped, leaving at least four people dead.
Bruce refrained from confirming whether Zelenskyy’s letter fully meets Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s standards to resume stalled peace talks, but she suggested it moves the needle.
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“After the Friday situation … it was a surprise that [Zelenskyy’s] behavior took a turn,” she said, referencing the heated exchange where Trump accused Zelenskyy of disrespecting the U.S. and being unready for peace.
“It was clear, as the president stated publicly, that he was not ready … but what [the letter] did do was highlight an awareness that, as [Zelenskyy] said, it did not go as planned.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had praised the letter earlier Thursday, calling it a step forward. Bruce echoed that sentiment, noting, “The door was still unlocked … he could return.”
She underscored the U.S.’s role as Ukraine’s staunchest ally in the conflict with Russia, which Trump has called a “meat grinder” costing hundreds of thousands of lives.
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“We have been the biggest supporters of Ukraine … we want to help him,” Bruce said, pointing to a recent U.N. Security Council statement—passed without opposition—as evidence of progress toward ending the war.
On whether Rubio would attend contemplated talks in Saudi Arabia next week, Bruce demurred. “I cannot comment … on issues that have been discussed in a diplomatic framework or arrangements that might be implemented,” she said. She also sidestepped questions about restoring intelligence-sharing or weapons pipelines to Ukraine, stating, “I will not discuss issues of intelligence or diplomatic agreements.”
The briefing took a somber turn when Bruce was asked about the Russian strike on a hotel in Ukraine earlier Thursday. American aid workers escaped unharmed, but the attack killed at least four others. Bruce offered no specific reaction, instead folding it into the broader narrative.
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“We see what’s happening … the carnage not stopping is a stalemate that both parties have to be brought to the table to end,” she said, reiterating that “there’s one person who can bring those parties to the table, and it is President Donald Trump.”
Zelenskyy’s letter, described by Bruce as an acknowledgment that Friday’s meeting “was not a situation that was good,” appears to signal his readiness to reengage.
While she hadn’t spoken to Rubio in the last few hours, Bruce affirmed his consistent stance: if Zelenskyy is serious about peace, the U.S. is prepared to move forward. “The president and the secretary believe that … we would [proceed],” she said.
For now, the administration is watching Kyiv closely, balancing diplomatic outreach with the stark realities of a war showing no signs of abating.
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