Donald Trump told Congress that Volodymyr Zelensky is now ready to negotiate for peace as soon as possible in the war with Russia and was willing to accept a minerals deal with the United States
Donald Trump said Volodymyr Zelensky had written to him and is ready to make an important move to bring about peace in Ukraine.
The US president claimed that the Ukraine leader said in the message that he appreciates US support for his country in its war with Russia and is willing to negotiate a deal.
In a speech to Congress following last week’s disastrous meeting at the White House, Trump said Zelensky had told him Ukraine is ready to negotiate for peace with Russia as soon as possible and would accept a critical minerals agreement with the US to facilitate that.
Trump’s remarks came after Vice President JD Vance, who was a major player in the breakdown between the president and Zelensky on Friday, struck a new nerve with allies by offering sceptical comments about a potential international security force for post-war Ukraine proposed by Britain and France.
“Earlier today, I received an important letter from President Zelensky of Ukraine,” Trump said. Quoting from the letter, Trump said Zelensky told him that “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”.
“My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts,” Trump quoted Zelensky as writing. “We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence.”
Trump added that Zelensky said he was ready to sign the minerals deal “at any time that is convenient for you.” Although Trump said he “appreciated” getting the letter, he did not say if it would affect his policy toward Ukraine, which on Monday was dominated by his decision to pause military aid to the country.
Earlier Vance had said the minerals deal would be a more practical deterrent against Russian President Vladimir Putin than a peacekeeping force for post-war Ukraine that includes “some random country.” In an interview with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity, Vance said the economic pact with Kyiv sought by Trump “is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years”.
The Trump administration has been making the case that tightening US-Ukraine economic ties through an agreement that gives the US access to valuable mineral deposits in Ukraine will give Russia pause about taking malign action against Ukraine in the future.
Vance did not mention any particular country in his sceptical comments about a potential peacekeeping mission. But the “random country” comment was seen by some lawmakers and government officials in the UK and France as a slight that discounted both countries’ partnership with the US military in conflict zones over the past 25 years.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are leading the call for a post-conflict peacekeeping force in Ukraine to prevent Russia from invading again if Moscow and Kyiv reach a truce to put a stop to Russia’s invasion, launched in February 2022.
