Following Friday's tense White House meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky received a boost in support in Ukraine, according to a new poll.Newsweek has reached out to the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry via email for comment.Why It MattersWhat was expected to be a diplomatic discussion on U.S. access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals and potential security assurances for Ukraine instead escalated into a confrontation, with Trump and Vance chastising Zelensky over what they perceived as his lack of gratitude for American support amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.The unprecedented Oval Office meeting has since drawn widespread attention, with some Trump supporters praising him, others expressing concern, and many international leaders and Democrats criticizing the president and voicing support for Zelensky.Zelensky has been a central figure in Ukraine's resistance since Russia invaded in 2022. He was elected president in 2019 and would have faced reelection in 2024, but the country has been under martial law since the war. Zelensky has not said whether or not he will seek reelection as he continues to focus on the conflict.What To KnowAccording to the poll, conducted by Gradus Research, support for the Ukrainian leader rose to 28 percent following his meeting with Trump and Vance, adding that Zelensky's approval rating now stands at 49 percent.The survey was conducted using a self-completed questionnaire in the Gradus mobile application on March 1, among 1,000 respondents. The sample reflects the population structure of cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants aged 18-60 by gender, age, settlement size, and region, excluding the temporarily occupied territories and territories of active hostilities.The recent poll comes after Trump has taken aim at Zelensky last month, bashing the Ukrainian president for his slipping favorability in Ukrainian polls, and falsely claiming he has a 4 percent approval rating.In mid-February, Trump told reporters that Zelensky's approval rating was "down at 4 percent." He did not provide evidence of this low mark. Zelensky immediately rejected Trump's claim as Russian "disinformation," prompting Trump to fire back on Truth Social that Zelensky is "a dictator without elections," and repeated his assertion from the day before that Zelensky was "very low" in the polls.There is no credible poll in Ukraine that shows Zelensky, who was elected to a five-year term in 2019, with an approval rating in the single digits, with most surveys consistently showing him in the 50-60 percent approval range.According to the Gradus Research poll, following Trump's remarks, the percentage of adults intending to vote for Zelensky rose from 17 percent to 23 percent.The new poll also found that the percentage of people who believe Ukraine is moving in the right direction has also grown significantly from 36 percent last week to now 44 percent.According to a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) published in early February, 57 percent of Ukrainians said they trust Zelensky. The rating marks a slight increase from the KIIS's December 2024 polls, which was conducted before Trump's return to the presidency, that showed 52 percent trust in Zelensky.Among Americans, another poll from The Economist/YouGov shows that while Zelensky and Trump share the same favorability rating, Trump's unfavorability mark is nearly double.In the poll surveying over 1,600 U.S. adults from February 16-18, Trump and Zelensky scored a 47 percent favorable opinion. Trump has a 49 percent unfavorable rating compared to Zelensky's 28 percent. The poll has a 3.3 percent margin of error.Zelensky is seen the most favorably by Americans age 65 and older, with 60 percent, while Trump is viewed most favorably among whites, with 54 percent, the poll shows.What Happened in Zelensky's White House Meeting?The White House meeting was a striking exchange of open antagonism in the Oval Office, a space typically reserved for formal diplomacy, especially among U.S. allies. Trump made clear his pressure on Zelensky to agree to a deal securing U.S. interests in Ukraine's valuable minerals and to pursue a diplomatic resolution to the war on his terms.Vance told Zelensky: "Mr. President, with respect. I think it's disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media."Zelensky attempted to interject, but Trump eventually raised his voice, warning: "You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War III, and what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that's backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have."The mineral deal was not signed since Zelensky left the White House early and the discussion of a path forward was cut short.What Are People SayingPresident Donald Trump on Truth Social on Friday: "We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It's amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don't want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace."President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X on Friday: "Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that."What Happens NextA joint press conference was canceled following the blow-up between Trump and Zelensky, leaving the future of relations between the two countries uncertain.Zelensky is in the United Kingdom meeting with world leaders, including a visit with King Charles III on Sunday.European leaders, who near-universally backed Zelensky after the Oval Office showdown, have called for an immediate summit to discuss how to approach peace talks with Russia. However, it's not clear what will come out of the London summit, and whether European leaders will be able to bridge the gap between Kyiv and Washington.