President Trump announced Tuesday he received a letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asking to come to the “negotiating table” again after the two leaders had a major tiff at the White House that ended with no mineral deal that will create a US-Ukraine joint fund.
“Earlier today, I received an important letter from President Zelensky of Ukraine. 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 during his speech to Congress.
The Ukrainian president also reiterated in the letter that Kyiv would sign the mineral deal with the US “at any time that is convenient for you.”
The president said he “appreciated” the letter and is also getting signals from Russia that they are ready for peace.
The letter appeared to be a positive development in US-Ukraine relations after Friday’s blowup that left Trump and Zelensky at odds and ended with the Ukrainian president leaving with no deal — and after Trump paused US military aid to Ukraine on Monday.
Vice President JD Vance indicated earlier Tuesday at the Capitol that the Trump team was awaiting “private” channels of communication from the Ukrainians in order to get the deal back on track.
The VP also said military aid could be turned on again with the proper communication.
Zelensky addressed some of Trump’s concerns in an X post earlier Tuesday, writing that Ukraine is ready for peace.
“Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, 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. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive,” Zelensky wrote.
“None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.”
