During his speech to Congress, Donald Trump read aloud a letter he received from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in which Zelenskyy expressed Ukraine’s willingness to negotiate for peace. The letter came just days after the two leaders had a tense meeting at the White House, where Trump accused Zelenskyy of “gambling with World War III” and abruptly ended their planned press conference. Despite the earlier confrontation, Zelenskyy’s letter emphasized Ukraine’s gratitude for U.S. support and a commitment to working under Trump’s leadership to achieve lasting peace.
Trump used the letter to suggest that peace talks between Ukraine and Russia could be within reach, claiming that he had received “strong signals” from Moscow that they were also ready to negotiate. However, he did not provide specifics on when or how these alleged discussions had taken place. “If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides,” Trump told Congress, reinforcing his stance that diplomacy should be prioritized over continued military aid.
The letter also referenced a proposed agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine regarding rare earth minerals, which was left unsigned after their White House meeting fell apart. Zelenskyy assured Trump that Ukraine remained ready to finalize the deal at any time. In response, Trump praised the letter and called it an “important step,” though Ukraine has not made any public comments about it since it was delivered.
While Trump’s reading of Zelenskyy’s letter received applause from some members of Congress, others remain skeptical about the prospects for peace. With Trump’s recent decision to pause military aid to Ukraine, the international community is closely watching how U.S. policy on the conflict will evolve and whether meaningful negotiations will take place.
