US President Donald Trump has reiterated that he is determined to broker a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
During a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening, he stressed the importance of ending the hostilities.
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“It’s time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides,” Trump said.
He added that Ukraine was willing to negotiate and Russia was ‘ready for peace’
Earlier on Tuesday, Zelensky vowed to repair relations with the US after what he described as a “regrettable” Oval Office clash with President Trump last week.
Reuters reports: on Trump said 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.