TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he received a letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in which the Ukrainian leader expressed willingness to come to the negotiating table over the Russia-Ukraine war.
"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 in an address to Congress on Tuesday while quoting from the letter.
Trump also said he had been in "serious discussions with Russia" and had "received strong signals that they are ready for peace".
"Wouldn't that be beautiful?" he said. "It's time to stop this madness. It's time to halt the killing. It's time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars you have to talk to both sides."
Trump was expected to further outline his plans for Ukraine and Russia in the speech to Congress, but did not reveal any further details on how he plans to end Europe's biggest conflict since World War Two.
Trump said Ukraine was ready to sign a minerals deal with the U.S., which Washington says is crucial to secure continued U.S. backing for Ukraine's defense.
Four sources told Reuters that the Trump administration and Ukraine plan to sign the deal in return for military aid, which Trump has paused. But later on Tuesday U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News, "There is no signing planned," according to a post on X by a Fox reporter.
Trump gave no further details on the minerals deal, leaving its fate unclear.
Early on Tuesday, Zelenskiy pledged to repair relations with the U.S. after what he described as a "regrettable" Oval Office clash with Trump last week.
Zelenskiy said he wanted to "make things right" and was ready "any time and in any convenient format" to sign the minerals deal, which he left on the table during a visit to Washington after the Oval Office argument with Trump.
His statement came a day after Trump halted military aid to Ukraine, his latest move to upend U.S. policy and adopt a more conciliatory stance toward Russia.
"My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts," Zelenskiy said in his statement on X. The statement made no mention of the pause in U.S. military supplies.
Zelenskiy's statement was clearly aimed at stressing Kyiv's gratitude following the explosive confrontation at the White House, at which Trump and Vice President JD Vance scolded Zelenskiy as insufficiently appreciative.
"We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence," Zelenskiy wrote. "Our meeting in Washington ... did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right."
Zelenskiy outlined a path towards a peace agreement, which he said could begin with a release of prisoners and a halt to air and sea attacks, if Russia did the same.
"Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the U.S. to agree a strong final deal."
REUTERS | Erin Banco, Max Hunder and Olena Harmash
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