In a recent address to Congress, President Trump announced that he received a letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressing readiness to negotiate peace with Russia and finalize a critical minerals agreement with the United States. Zelensky’s letter conveyed gratitude for American support and a willingness to work towards lasting peace.
“I appreciate that he sent this letter,” Trump said as he addressed a joint session of Congress in Washington.
It came after Zelensky said in a social media post that he was ready to work under Trump’s “strong leadership” to achieve a lasting peace.
In his address to Congress, Trump said he received an “important letter” from Zelensky on Tuesday, before reading what he said were excerpts from it.
Parts of what he read used precisely the same language as the statement posted by Zelensky earlier on Tuesday.
“The letter reads Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians,” Trump said.
Continuing to read from what he said was Zelensky’s letter, Trump said: “My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.”
Trump also said Zelensky told him he was ready to sign a rare earth minerals deal with the US.
Ukraine is yet to comment on the letter.
This development follows Friday’s tense meeting at the White House, where discussions between Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Zelensky became heated, resulting in a suspension of US military aid to Ukraine. The renewed communication indicates a potential shift towards resolving the conflict and strengthening economic ties through a minerals deal.
In his speech, Trump emphasized the importance of engaging with both sides to end the conflict, highlighting the high human cost and advocating for a resolution to the war.
The US president also said there had been “serious discussions” with Russia, and he’d “received strong signals that they are ready for peace.”
Trump did not indicate when the talks took place, or whether he was personally involved in them.
“It’s time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides,” he added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Zelensky described the White House showdown with Trump as “regrettable” in the wake of the US announcing a pause in military aid to Kyiv.
Zelensky said “it was time to make things right”, after Trump had accused him of not being ready to come to the negotiating table.
Image source: The BBC
