Ukraine is ready to come back to the negotiating table a day after President Donald Trump froze military aid to the country, Trump reported in his joint address to Congress on March 4.
Trump read from a March 4 letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that was posted to X aloud to Congress, stating, “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… We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence… Regarding the Agreement on Minerals and Security, Ukraine is ready to sign it at any time that is convenient for you.”
Trump responded saying it was time to put an end to war, which began in 2014 after former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was removed from power and Russia annexed Crimea and the eastern provinces, and escalated dramatically in 2022 as Russia mounted a full-scale invasion and has claimed more than 1 million lives.
“I appreciate that he sent this letter, just got it a little while ago,” Trump said, adding, “Simultaneously, we’ve had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that they are ready for peace. Wouldn’t that be beautiful? … It’s time to halt the killing. It’s time to end the senseless war. If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides.”
For Trump, it was a fairly quick turnaround from the situation on Feb. 28 when a meeting with Zelensky resulted in a deal on Ukrainian rare earth minerals not being signed after Zelensky interrupted a joint press conference with Trump to question Vice President J.D. Vance that any diplomacy was possible with Russia, prompting Trump to tell Zelensky he was “gambling with World War III” and to later issue a Feb. 28 statement on Truth Social that Ukraine was “not ready for peace.”
This was followed by Zelensky appearing at meetings in Europe and taking interviews where he stated an end to the war was “very, very far away” prompting Trump to respond on March 3 on Truth Social, saying, “This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. …”
So Trump pulled the military aid to show he meant business, that the U.S. was not writing a blank check. And suddenly, Zelensky wanted to talk again.
That is Trump’s art of the deal in action, where actions speak louder than words. In this case, Trump is communicating that U.S. support is not unconditional and that he expects there to be a negotiated end to the war.
Now, it’s all patched up — for now. The American people got to hear Trump relaying Ukraine’s message and gratitude to the nation and to Congress for its support through the years, with Trump leading. The American people have grown weary of the continued U.S. military commitment — which Trump argued risks becoming a wider conflict as he won the 2024 election a promise to end the war. Now, Zelensky’s letter gives Trump room to negotiate further and to show the nation that there is a way out of this mess.
To Ukraine’s benefit, for now, Kyiv has a seat at the table. That is by no means necessary, though, as the U.S. has previously concluded wars in Korea and Vietnam for example without South Korea or South Vietnam being a part of the negotiations.
Right now, the U.S. stake is continued military support for Ukraine, but as Trump has shown with the weapons pause, Ukraine does not need to agree in order for the U.S. to be able to withdraw support.
The only U.S. alternative might be to just talk directly with Russia, come what may. Presumably, if Zelensky wants his voice to be a part of the continued process, he has to actually participate — and now Trump has succeeded in resuming the talks. Stay tuned.
Robert Romano is the Vice President of Public Policy at Americans for Limited Government Foundation.
Reproduced with permission. Original here: Art Of The Deal: After Trump Pauses Military Aid, Ukraine Immediately Comes Back to Negotiating Table For Rare Earth Minerals Deal
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