'It Is Time To Make Things Right': Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Is Ready To Work With Trump To End The War
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy conceded his White House visit Friday "did not go the way it was supposed to," while adding that he is prepared to work with Trump to bring about "lasting peace."
"It is regrettable that it happened this way," he wrote in a lengthy post on X, formerly Twitter. "It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive."
The Ukrainian leader said his country is "grateful" for the support Trump and the U.S. as a whole have provided to Kyiv.
"We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence," he said. "And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins."
Zelenskyy reiterated he is prepared to sign the rare earth minerals deal at "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," he added.
Zelenskyy's comments follow the Trump administration's decision to suspend U.S. aid to Ukraine Monday night.
Trump Threatens Sweeping Crackdown On ‘Illegal’ Protests At Schools
Fruit And Vegetable Prices To Rise In Days Thanks To Tariffs, Target Boss Warns
Trump's new tariffs will lead to shoppers paying more for groceries in the next few days, Target's CEO said.
Brian Cornell told CNBC that America was reliant on imports from Mexico during winter, meaning the 25% import tax that kicks in today will have an almost immediate impact on the price of fruit and vegetables.
Cornell named strawberries, avocados and bananas as the produce likely to cost more to consumers.
“Those are categories where we’ll try to protect pricing, but the consumer will likely see price increases over the next couple of days,” Cornell said as Target published its fourth-quarter earnings.
“If there’s a 25% tariff, those prices will go up,” he added.
The president has also slapped a 25% tariff on imports from Canada, and doubled the levy on Chinese goods to 20%.
JD Vance Denies Trashing U.K., France Over Ukraine Peacekeeping Plan
Vice President JD Vance moved to head off a diplomatic incident after appearing to insult the U.K. and France over their efforts to bring peace to Ukraine.
Vance sparked a backlash after suggesting on Fox News Monday that a proposed U.K.-French led European peacekeeping force would be far less effective than Trump's proposed minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine.
Vance said: “If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine."
“That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years," he added
On Tuesday morning, Vance took to X to insist it was “absurdly dishonest” to suggest his criticism was aimed at Britain or France.
“I don’t even mention the U.K. or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the U.S. over the last 20 years, and beyond,” he wrote.
But he then took a swipe at unnamed countries also attempting to find a way forward for Ukraine following America's abdication.
Vance wrote: “But let’s be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful.”
Melania Trump’s Congressional Guests To Spotlight ‘Disaster Wrought’ By Biden Administration
The White House has identified 15 guests who will accompany first lady Melania Trump to President Trump’s Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday.
The guests are labeled as “everyday Americans” who have “incredible stories about the disaster wrought by the previous administration and the historic achievements President Trump has already enacted to usher in the Golden Age of America.”
The guests include a 15-year-old victim of online bullying; the family of a firefighter fatally shot during a Trump campaign rally last July; the window of a slain NYPD officer; a history teacher who was imprisoned in Russia; the family of slain nursing student Laken Riley; a mother who claims her child "socially transitioned" to male with the help of their school; and a U.S. Border Patrol agent, the White House said.