President Donald Trump, addressing a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening, urged an end to the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, calling it “madness” and emphasizing that peace can only come through diplomacy.
“It’s time to halt the killing,” Trump declared. “It’s time to end the senseless war. If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides.”
Trump’s remarks come amid renewed efforts to push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky back to the negotiating table after a tense and highly publicized fallout in the Oval Office last week. The meeting, which was expected to yield a key agreement on U.S. access to Ukrainian rare earth minerals, ended abruptly when Trump expelled Zelensky and his team from the White House.
Tensions Boil Over in the White House
The breakdown in relations was sparked by Zelensky’s concerns over Vice President JD Vance’s insistence that Ukraine negotiate with Russia without concrete security guarantees. The Ukrainian leader, frustrated by what he viewed as pressure to compromise without sufficient safeguards, challenged Vance’s stance.
“You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people! You’re gambling with World War III!” Trump reportedly told Zelensky during the heated exchange.
Vance escalated the tension, accusing Zelensky of ingratitude toward the U.S. and Trump’s administration.
“Have you said ‘thank you’ once?” Vance asked, referring to American military and financial support for Ukraine. “You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October. Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country.”
As tempers flared, the meeting unraveled, and Trump ultimately ordered Zelensky and his delegation to leave the White House before signing the pre-negotiated minerals agreement, a deal that remains in limbo.
Zelensky Extends an Olive Branch
In the aftermath of the diplomatic blowup, Zelensky sought to mend relations, sending a letter to Trump on Tuesday acknowledging that the meeting “did not go the way it was supposed to.”
“It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right,” Zelensky wrote. “We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive.”
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s desire for peace and its readiness to return to negotiations.
“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.”
U.S. Suspends Aid to Ukraine Amid Pressure for Talks
Zelensky’s renewed willingness to negotiate follows the Trump administration’s announcement that it would suspend aid to Ukraine until Kyiv demonstrates a genuine commitment to peace talks with Moscow.
Trump, in his congressional address, signaled optimism about the prospect of diplomacy, revealing that “serious discussions” with Russia had yielded “strong signals that they’re ready for peace.”
The coming days will determine whether the renewed dialogue between Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow can lead to substantive negotiations—or whether last week’s White House clash was a sign of deeper fractures in U.S.-Ukraine relations.
What’s Next?
With Ukraine facing mounting battlefield challenges and Trump making clear that his administration will not back unlimited military support without a peace effort, Zelensky is under pressure to make a decision. Will he fully embrace negotiations with Russia despite concerns over Ukraine’s security? And how will Moscow respond?
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