US President Donald Trump has received a letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in which the Ukrainian leader expresses willingness to come to the negotiating table over the Russia-Ukraine war.
"Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians," Trump said in an address to Congress on Tuesday while quoting from the letter.
Trump also said he had been in "serious discussions with Russia" and had "received strong signals that they are ready for peace".
"It's time to stop this madness. It's time to halt the killing. It's time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars you have to talk to both sides," he said.
Trump was expected to further outline his plans for Ukraine and Russia in the speech to Congress, but did not reveal any further details on how he planned to end Europe's biggest conflict since World War II.
Trump said Ukraine was ready to sign a minerals deal with the US, which Washington says is crucial to secure continued US backing for Ukraine's defence.
Four sources told Reuters that the Trump administration and Ukraine planned to sign the deal in return for military aid, which Trump has paused.
But later on Tuesday US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News, "There is no signing planned," according to a post on X by a Fox reporter.
Trump gave no further details on the minerals deal, leaving its fate unclear.
Early on Tuesday, Zelenskiy pledged to repair relations with the US after a "regrettable" Oval Office clash with Trump last week.
Zelenskiy said he wanted to "make things right" and was ready "any time and in any convenient format" to sign the minerals deal, which he left on the table during a visit to Washington after the Oval Office argument with Trump.
His statement came a day after Trump halted military aid to Ukraine, his latest move to upend US policy and adopt a more conciliatory stance toward Russia.
"My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts," Zelenskiy said in his statement on X.
The statement made no mention of the pause in US military supplies.
Zelenskiy's statement was clearly aimed at stressing Kyiv's gratitude following the explosive confrontation at the White House, at which Trump and Vice-President JD Vance scolded Zelenskiy as insufficiently appreciative.
"We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence," Zelenskiy wrote.
"Our meeting in Washington ... 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."
Zelenskiy outlined a path towards a peace agreement, which he said could begin with a release of prisoners and a halt to air and sea attacks, if Russia did the same.
Earlier, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukraine's forces could hold their own on the battlefield against Russian troops, but Kyiv would do everything possible to continue co-operating with the US.
"We only have one plan - to win and to survive," Shmyhal said.
In Moscow, the Kremlin said cutting off US military aid to Ukraine was the best possible step towards peace, although it was waiting to confirm Trump's move.
US Democrats have raised an outcry over Trump's abrupt pivot towards Russia, the most dramatic geopolitical shift in generations for Washington, where governments have prioritised defending Europe from a hostile Moscow.
The pause in US military aid puts more pressure on European allies who have publicly embraced Zelenskiy since the Oval Office blow-up.
Britain and France, whose leaders both visited the White House last week, have offered troops to help guard a potential ceasefire.
On Tuesday, Germany's conservatives and Social Democrats proposed setting up a 500 billion-euro ($A849 billion) fund to help ramp up defence spending.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled proposals to mobilise up to 800 billion euros for EU defence spending.
The 27-nation bloc holds an emergency summit on Thursday.
