TONIGHT ... President Donald Trump will stand before a joint session of Congress Tuesday evening to give an accounting of his first several weeks in the Oval Office and his desires for the rest of his term. Details...
"Trump offered a good deal [last week]. And then of course today he said 'Okay, if you don't want to cooperate, then we'll pause any help to you' – and Zelenskyy can't live with that. His government would fall. He's in a tight spot, so he's backing down – and I understand. Trump was successful again." Robert Maginnis |
Zelenskyy’s remarks came in a social media post on X, hours after the White House announced a pause in military aid to Ukraine that is critical to fighting Russia's invasion.
He also said Ukraine is ready to sign a lucrative deal on rare-earth minerals and security with Washington.
In an apparent reference to Trump’s criticism following the contentious White House meeting on Friday that Zelensky does not want a peace deal, the Ukrainian leader said, “None of us want 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 the Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts,” he said.
The meeting "did not go the way it was supposed to be," Zelenskyy said. "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.”
The U.S. decision to pause military aid catapulted his country into alarm and apprehension. Zelenskyy’s statement came before Trump was expected to address the U.S. Congress later Tuesday.
“Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format,” Zelenskyy said. “We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively.”
Meanwhile, Trump is preparing to stand before a joint session of Congress Tuesday night to give an accounting of his first several weeks in the Oval Office and his desires for the rest of his term.
