Zelenskyy calls spat with Trump regrettable, proposes Ukraine truce amid aid cut: 'Time to make things right'

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that he does not want an 'endless war', and is ready to work under US President Donald Trump's leadership for achieving lasting peace.

"I would like to reiterate Ukraine's commitment to peace. 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. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts," he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Zelenskyy appealed to begin the process of ending the war by first implementing a ban on missile, and said then Kyiv is ready to work with the US for a final deal.

"We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky -- ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure -- and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal," he added.

Zelenskyy said that he valued how much the US has done to help Ukraine in the war, reminiscing about the time when Trump had earlier provided Ukraine with javelins.

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"We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this," he said.

The Ukrainian President further added that he regretted how the meeting between him and Trump did not go the way he wanted.

"Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. 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," he said.

Zelenskyy said he was ready to sign the minerals deal with the US "in any convenient format".

Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively.

On Friday, during media interaction with Ukraine President at the Oval Office, Trump used some strong words, telling the visiting leader that Volodymyr Zelenskyy "does not have the cards" and is not "acting thankful" for the support the United States has provided to Ukraine in its war with Russia, which began in February 2022.

The two leaders had an exchange in an explosive press conference with the Ukrainian President emphasising the need of security guarantees and noting that the Russian President Vladimir Putin had continued with his actions against his country even during Trump's first term as President. 

Also read: Trump says Zelensky's ready for talks with Russia and to finalize US minerals deal