Hours after the Trump administration directed a pause in U.S. assistance to Ukraine in its war with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed his commitment to peace and expressed his willingness to negotiate.
"Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians," Zelenskyy said in a statement on X. "My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts."
Zelenskyy also addressed last week's Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, which ended in shouting. He acknowledged that the discussion did not go as planned.
"It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right," Zelenskyy said. "We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive."
The Ukrainian president had traveled to Washington last week to sign a minerals deal, but after the tense Oval Office meeting, he was asked to leave without signing the agreement. Despite this, Zelenskyy remains open to finalizing the deal that he hopes would bring security to his country.
"We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively," Zelenskyy said.
President Trump and Vice President Vance have criticized Zelenskyy, claiming he has not shown enough appreciation for U.S. support and questioning his commitment to peace even though it was Russia that invaded Ukraine in 2022.
"The problem is I've empowered you to be a tough guy, and I don't think you'd be a tough guy without the United States and your people are very brave, but you're either going to make a deal or we're out and if we're out you'll fight it out," Trump told Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly expressed gratitude to both Trump and the American people for their support of Ukraine. On Tuesday, he reiterated his appreciation.
"We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence," he said. "And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this."
