Trump touts 'important' letter from Zelensky amid push to smooth relations

President Trump in his address to Congress touted receiving a letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier Tuesday amid an effort to smooth ties between Washington and Kyiv following an extraordinary clash between the two leaders in the Oval Office last week.

“The letter reads, Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer,” Trump said in prepared remarks during his joint address to Congress, calling the letter "important."

“I appreciate that he sent this letter, I just got it a little while ago,” the president added.

Zelensky’s letter served as an additional overture to Trump over a chaotic few days of trying to salvage the relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine, with some of the president’s allies calling for the Ukrainian leader to resign.

Trump on Monday halted U.S. military assistance to Ukraine following the explosive Oval Office meeting. Trump on Friday lashed out at Zelensky after the Ukrainian president challenged Vice President Vance over diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump accused Zelensky of not being ready for peace and Trump’s officials said that a rare earth minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine was not on the table following the debacle.

Zelensky held back an official apology to Trump but called the Oval Office meeting “regrettable” earlier on Tuesday, and said Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table with Russia.

Trump, saying he was quoting the letter from Zelensky, said Ukraine is ready “to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts,” offered thanks for U.S. assistance in its defensive war against Russia and said Kyiv is ready to sign a minerals deal at a time “that is convenient for you.”

Trump did not address whether the U.S. would revive the deal.

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