4 March 2025, 15:50 | Updated: 4 March 2025, 16:32

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said ‘Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table’ as he expressed regret over his clash with Donald Trump at the White House.

Taking to X on Tuesday, Mr Zelenskyy said he would sign a minerals deal with the US at “any time” despite his explosive White House clash with Trump last week.

He said: “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.”

Zelenskyy’s comments come just hours after the US cut off all aid to Ukraine, freezing any support it was set to receive to combat Russia’s invasion.

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But Zelenskyy has insisted he is ready to work with the Trump administration to find peace in Ukraine.

He added: “My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. 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. 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.”

Looking back on the explosive scenes from the White House last Friday, Zelenskyy said “It is time to make things right” between the two leaders.

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“We are grateful for this. 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.

“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.”

Trump launched a fresh attack against Zelenskyy on Monday, accusing him of not wanting peace and warning that the US “will not put up with it for much longer”.

Addressing his comments during the press conference, Trump said the Ukrainian president should be “more appreciative” of US support.

He said the war in Ukraine must “end fast”, adding that Zelenskyy “better not be right” over his claims that a peace deal is “still very, very far away.”

“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 US,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

It comes as the White House is said to be drawing up plans to ease sanctions against Russia.

As the US continues to distance itself from Ukraine, Europe has placed itself on what can only be described as a war footing.

European Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen has laid out plans to “Re-arm Europe” as she voiced that the continent has now entered “an era of re-armament”.

Speaking on Tuesday, Von Der Leyen highlighted that the EU defence plans set out could mobilise around 800 billion euros for defence.”We are in an era of re-armament. Europe is ready to massively boost its defence spending.

“Both to respond to the short term urgency to support Ukraine, but also the long-term need for more responsibility for our own European security,” she said in her speech.

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Under the plans, the EU will propose to free up budgets for member states where defence investments are concerned.

It also authorised around 150 billion euros in loans for those investments, highlighting that the European Commission will aim to harness private capital as well, Von der Leyen said.

“I have outlined in a letter to leaders of the European Council the Rearm Europe Plan,” she said ahead of a planned meeting on Thursday.

“This centres on how to use all the financial levers at our disposal in order to help member states quickly and significantly increase expenditures in defence capabilities.”

It comes as a White House official, speaking anonymously on Tuesday, said: “President [Trump] has been clear that he is focused on peace.

“We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.”