The US president will play a “decisive” role in achieving a ceasefire with Russia, the Verkhovna Rada said
Ukraine’s 450-seat parliament – the Verkhovna Rada – released a statement on Monday evening saying that US President Donald Trump will play a key role in negotiating a peace deal between Kiev and Moscow. The public endorsement of Trump’s mediation efforts comes after Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has refused to apologize for last week’s public spat with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance in the White House.
In a statement on the parliamentary website, the MPs stressed the “decisive” role of American aid and said that the Rada “welcomes President Donald Trump’s initiatives to launch a negotiation process aimed at securing peace.”
“On behalf of the Ukrainian people, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine expresses its profound gratitude to President Donald Trump, the United States Congress, and the American people for their firm and consistent support of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” the statement read.
“At present, this support is more crucial than ever for the Ukrainian people and the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine,” the legislators wrote. They added that they believe that Trump’s mediation efforts “will be decisive in the swift cessation of hostilities and the achievement of peace for Ukraine, Europe, and the entire world.”
The Rada also stressed “the necessity of further developing the strategic partnership with the United States, particularly in the exploration of critical minerals.”
The feud between Trump and Zelensky escalated last month after Ukrainian and EU officials criticized Trump for opening direct talks with Russia without their advice and approval. Trump branded Zelensky “a dictator,” while his team blasted the Ukrainian leader for declining to sign a deal on the development of Ukraine’s critical mineral deposits.
The meeting in the White House on Friday descended into a rare public shouting match, with Vice President J.D. Vance accusing Zelensky of being ungrateful for the military and financial aid America has provided since 2022. Trump later claimed that Zelensky was being disrespectful and did not want peace in Ukraine.
In an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier on Friday, Zelensky refused to apologize to Trump directly. He reiterated that Ukraine was seeking security guarantees from the US and needed to be in a “strong position” in a potential ceasefire deal.
In a post on X, Zelensky thanked Trump, the US Congress, and the American people. “Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that,” he wrote.
Trump has so far ruled out providing specific security guarantees, such as admitting Ukraine into NATO or contributing American troops to a future peacekeeping mission. He also argued that Zelensky did “not have the cards” to complain about being sidelined during the US-Russia talks that took place last month in Riyadh.
