Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed regret on Tuesday over last week’s tense Oval Office exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump and voiced his desire to “make things right.” He also reaffirmed Ukraine’s willingness to engage in negotiations to bring an end to the three-year conflict with Russia, Reuters reported.
In a conciliatory statement released a day after Trump suspended U.S. military aid to Ukraine, Zelenskiy indicated he was prepared to sign a deal granting the U.S. access to Ukrainian mineral resources “any time and in any format.” The deal had been left unresolved after he abruptly ended his Washington visit following Friday’s heated White House meeting with Trump.
“None of us wants 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 Ukrainians,” Zelenskiy wrote on X.
“My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to secure a lasting peace.”
While the statement did not mention the suspension of U.S. military aid—a significant shift in American policy towards Ukraine—it appeared aimed at reaffirming Kyiv’s gratitude. The move follows the fallout from Friday’s contentious White House meeting, during which Trump and Vice President JD Vance reportedly scolded Zelenskiy for not showing enough appreciation for U.S. support.
After the meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested Zelenskiy should issue an apology.
“We deeply value all that the United States has done to help Ukraine protect its sovereignty and independence,” Zelenskiy wrote. “Our meeting in Washington did not go as expected, and it is regrettable. Now, it’s time to make things right.”
Proposal for Peace Talks and a Truce
Zelenskiy outlined a potential path toward peace, starting with the release of prisoners and a mutual cessation of air and naval strikes—provided Russia reciprocates.
“From there, we want to move quickly through the next stages and work with the U.S. to finalize a strong and lasting peace agreement,” he said.
Trump to Address Congress on Ukraine Policy
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasized that while Ukrainian forces could continue to resist Russian troops, Kyiv was committed to maintaining strong ties with the U.S.
“We will keep working with the U.S. through all available channels in a calm and strategic manner,” Shmyhal stated. “Our only plan is to win and survive. If we don’t, someone else will decide our fate.”
The Kremlin welcomed Trump’s decision to cut off military aid, calling it a step toward peace, though officials said they were waiting for official confirmation.
Trump is expected to present his vision for U.S. policy on Ukraine and Russia in a major address to Congress later on Tuesday. His abrupt shift toward a more conciliatory stance with Moscow marks one of the most significant changes in U.S. foreign policy in decades. Since the 1940s, successive U.S. administrations from both parties have prioritized European security against Russian aggression.
Trump’s decision has sparked outrage among Democrats but has received little opposition from Republican lawmakers, many of whom previously supported military assistance for Ukraine.
“By freezing military aid to Ukraine, President Trump has opened the door for Putin to escalate his violent aggression against innocent Ukrainians,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Ukraine has depended on military support from the U.S. and European allies to hold off Russian forces during the three-year war, which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties on both sides.
Shmyhal said Ukraine is ramping up its domestic military production, particularly drones, but warned that air defense systems—especially U.S.-supplied Patriot missile batteries—remain critical for protecting Ukrainian cities from Russian missile attacks.
“The aid suspension is significant, but not as devastating as it would have been earlier in the war, since Ukraine is now less reliant on direct U.S. military assistance,” said Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
European Allies Respond
The U.S. decision has placed greater pressure on European allies to step up their support for Ukraine. Britain and France, whose leaders recently visited Washington, have reaffirmed their commitment to Kyiv and even offered to deploy troops to support a potential ceasefire.
In response to the shifting landscape, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced new proposals to increase EU defense spending, potentially mobilizing up to €800 billion ($840 billion). The 27-nation bloc is set to hold an emergency summit on Thursday.
French Prime Minister Francois Bayou sharply criticized Trump’s decision.
“Cutting aid to a country at war means abandoning it and signaling to the aggressor that victory is within reach,” Bayou said in a parliamentary session.
For many Ukrainians, the U.S. aid freeze felt like a betrayal. Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the Ukrainian parliament’s foreign affairs committee, described the move as an attempt to force Ukraine into surrender.
“Let’s call it what it is—betrayal,” said Olena Bilova, a 47-year-old lawyer in Kyiv. “But let’s hope American civil society and European leaders won’t abandon us.”
