The Ukrainian president delivered his first public remarks since the Trump administration paused military aid on March 3.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that last week’s clash with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance at the White House was “regrettable” and pledged to sign a minerals deal and hold peace talks.
Zelenskyy, in his first statement since the Trump administration said it would pause military aid to Ukraine amid its war with Russia, said that Ukraine does not want “an endless war” and that “nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians.”
I would like to reiterate Ukraine’s commitment to peace.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2025
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…
“We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence,” the Ukrainian leader wrote in a statement, released on social media platform X. “And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this.”
During the meeting with Trump and Vance, both the president and vice president admonished Zelenskyy over comments that he made, as well as his attitude toward their efforts to end the war. Trump later said he would continue to deal with Zelenskyy once the Ukrainian leader expresses a desire to end the war with Russia.
“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,” Zelenskyy wrote, noting that he wants to sign a rare earth minerals deal with the United States and be part of peace talks with Russia.
Zelenskyy’s comments were made just hours after Trump directed a pause of U.S. assistance to Ukraine.
Ukraine has relied on U.S. and European military aid to hold off its bigger and better-armed foe throughout three years of warfare that has killed and injured hundreds of thousands of soldiers on both sides and flattened Ukrainian cities.
Trump has said that he wants to end the war in Ukraine and that he believes that the death toll on both sides is far higher than what has been officially confirmed. Before the election, Trump said he would end the war in 24 hours, but his administration has since signaled that it could take months.
