US President Donald Trump has said his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has told him Ukraine is ready to enter negotiations and finalise a minerals deal with the US, days after their public White House spat, Al Jazeera reported.
The latest development comes a day after Trump suspended military aid to Ukraine, which has been fighting a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022.
Since the two leaders’ fiery exchange at the White House last week, followed by Ukraine’s top ally suspending crucial military aid, Zelenskyy has sought to bring Trump back onside, posting on social media that their clash was “regrettable” and he wanted “to make things right”.
In his address to the US Congress late on Tuesday, Trump read aloud from a letter he said he had recently received from Zelenskyy, which matched the social media statement.
“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 told US legislators in his first address since returning to office.
“We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence,” Trump continued, reading from the letter.
“Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it at any time that is convenient for you,” he reads.
bd-pratidin/GR
