Trump Discusses Ukraine Policy During Address Before Congress
In a striking shift from last week’s tense confrontation, U.S. President Donald Trump signaled a potential thaw in relations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his Tuesday night address to Congress.
Trump revealed that he had received “an important letter” from Zelenskyy, expressing gratitude for U.S. support and pledging to work “under President Trump’s strong leadership” to secure a lasting peace. The letter also included a commitment to finalize a minerals deal with Washington—an agreement that had been left unsigned following their contentious Oval Office meeting.
"I appreciate that he sent this letter—just got it a little while ago," Trump said, adding that diplomatic efforts with Russia were also progressing. “Simultaneously, we’ve had serious discussions with Russia and received strong signals that they are ready for peace. Wouldn’t that be beautiful?”
LMAO. TRUMP IS HILARIOUS.
"The U.S. has sent hundreds of billions of dollars to support Ukraine's defense... *Democrats clap* ... You want to keep it going another 5 years? Yeah, Pocahontas says yes."
Elizabeth Warren can be seen FUMING.pic.twitter.com/yRdkN0QM6t
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 5, 2025
The shift in tone marks a notable departure from Trump’s previous stance. Just days earlier, his administration had abruptly suspended all military aid to Ukraine following an explosive meeting between Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Zelenskyy.
That exchange, which saw Trump accuse the Ukrainian leader of “gambling with World War III,” ended with a blunt directive: “Come back when you’re ready for peace.”
The fallout was immediate. On Monday, the U.S. announced a full pause on military support to Kyiv. Meanwhile, the Kremlin responded positively, praising Trump’s approach and stating that the U.S. “vision now largely aligned” with Russia’s. European allies, caught off guard by the dramatic shift, scrambled to assess what it meant for Ukraine’s future.
In apparent damage-control mode, Zelenskyy on Tuesday took to X (formerly Twitter), acknowledging that his White House meeting had “not gone the way it was supposed to be” and calling for a reset in U.S.-Ukraine relations. “It is regrettable that it happened this way,” he wrote. “It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive.”
Alongside his public statement, Zelenskyy proposed a limited truce with Russia, suggesting a halt to missile and drone strikes on civilian infrastructure—contingent on Moscow’s reciprocal action. Additionally, he indicated a willingness to finalize the minerals and security deal with the U.S., a significant economic arrangement that had been sidelined in last week’s clash.