**Ukraine Ready to Sign Mineral Agreement**
The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has said that his country is ready to sign a mineral agreement with the US. This comes after days of pressure from Washington.
Zelensky spoke out on social media, saying that Ukraine sees this agreement as a step towards greater security and solid guarantees. He also reaffirmed that Ukraine is prepared to sign the agreement at any time and in any format.
**Response to Trump‘s Criticism**
The statement was made after criticism from former US President Donald Trump. Trump had claimed that Zelensky does not want peace, citing comments made by the Ukrainian leader on March 2. In those comments, Zelensky said that peace negotiations are in their early stages and a final deal is “very, very far away.”
Zelensky responded to this criticism, saying that Ukraine wants to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring about lasting peace. He suggested that initial steps towards de-escalation could include the release of prisoners of war, a truce in the sky banning missiles and drones, and a truce at sea.
**US Military Aid Frozen**
The remarks from Zelensky come as several media outlets reported that Trump has ordered an immediate freeze on all military aid to Ukraine. This means that over $1 billion in weapons and ammunition deliveries have been halted.
It is believed that this aid suspension is part of a pressure campaign to push Zelensky into negotiations with Russia. The US National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, was quoted as saying that Washington expects Zelensky to show regret for the Oval Office dispute and commit to signing the mineral deal.
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