Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), that he is ready to move quickly to end Russia's war in Ukraine, making an open call for cooperation to Donald Trump.
"My team and I are ready to work under the dynamic leadership of President Trump to achieve a peace that will last," he said.
According to the Ukrainian president, the first steps of such a process could include:
The release of prisoners
An aerial ceasefire – a ban on the use of missiles, long-range drones and bombs against energy and civilian infrastructure
Ceasefire at sea, provided Russia abides by the same commitments
"Freeze" in US military aid
Zelensky's statements came in the wake of Donald Trump's decision to freeze all US military aid to Ukraine , putting suffocating pressure on Kiev.
Trump's order concerns all military equipment that has not yet arrived in Ukraine, including weapons that were en route to be transported via aircraft and ships or in transit zones in Poland.
While it is not yet clear how many weapons will be affected, Trump inherited from his predecessor, Joe Biden, the authority to release $3.85 billion in weapons from US stockpiles. However, following this decision, Washington's continued support for Kiev remains uncertain.
According to Sky News security and defense editor Deborah Hayne, Zelensky's statement sends a "clear message" to Donald Trump.
As he notes, it is noteworthy that the Ukrainian president does not go so far as to apologize , but limits himself to describing the diplomatic tension that occurred in the White House as "regrettable."
“It’s clear that Zelensky wants to make it clear and without a doubt that Ukraine wants peace and doesn’t want an endless war ,” Haynes said. “He wants the war to end, he wants to sign this mineral deal… it’s a way for Ukraine to secure U.S. support,” she added.
Volodymyr Zelensky's entire post:
“I would like to reiterate Ukraine's commitment to peace.
None of us want an endless war. Ukraine is ready to sit at the negotiating table as soon as possible, so that we can bring a lasting peace closer. No one wants peace more than the Ukrainians. My team and I are ready to work under the strong leadership of President Trump to achieve a peace that will last.
We are ready to move quickly to end the war, and the first steps in this process could include:
Release of prisoners,
Ceasefire in the skies, with a ban on missiles, long-range drones, bombing of energy and other civilian infrastructure,
Immediate ceasefire at sea, provided Russia implements the same measures.
Then, we want to move very quickly through all the next stages and work with the US to reach a strong final agreement.
We truly appreciate what America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. We remember the moment when things changed, when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins anti-tank missiles. We are grateful for that.
Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go as planned. It is unfortunate that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We want future cooperation and communication to be constructive.
"As for the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it at any time and in any appropriate framework. We see this agreement as a step towards greater security and strong protection guarantees, and I sincerely hope that it will work effectively."
