Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) suggested that Ukrainian President Voldy Zelensky's victory in search of a “new election” could “strengthen” the negotiations with Russia on the peace deal.
In a press release issued On Tuesday, Golden stressed that “Ukrainians fought bravely against Russian attacks,” but added that “a long-drained war would likely worsen Ukraine's outcome.
Golden said that if “peace” actually existed on the table, as Zelensky showed in X's post, “Ukraine's commitment to peace,” and that Zelensky “should do what is necessary to strengthen his hands in negotiating a deal that his people can accept.” In doing so, Ukraine “has an obligation to negotiate on his behalf” and “shows the world.”
“If Ukrainians still have the will to fight, then no one would be able to force a peace agreement they don't like,” Golden said in his statement. “But, as President Zelensky showed today, if peace is on the table, he should do what he needs to do to strengthen his hands in negotiating transactions that his people can accept. One way to do that is to call a new election and win. To show a world where he has orders to negotiate on behalf of the people.”
Golden's press release comes after it is published by Zelensky statement In X, Ukraine was “ready to come to the negotiation table,” and the Ukrainian government was “ready to work quickly to end the war.”
“I would like to repeat Ukraine's commitment to peace,” Zelensky wrote. “None of us wants an infinite war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiation table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. No one wants peace than the Ukrainians.”
Zelensky added that he and his team are “ready to work under President Donald Trump's “strong leadership to achieve peace that continues.”
A statement from Zelensky continued:
Our meeting in Washington at the White House on Friday wasn't exactly what it should have been. It's a shame that it happened this way. It's time to get things right. I hope that future cooperation and communication will be constructive.
Regarding mineral and security agreements, Ukraine is always ready to sign in a convenient format. We see this agreement as a step towards strengthening security and robust security assurances, and we really hope it works effectively.
Zelensky's statement comes after meeting with Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in his oval office on Friday.
After about 40 minutes of conversation, Zelensky and Vance discussed diplomacy before and after, and Zelensky tried to dismiss Vance's idea of diplomacy. Vance kept informing us that Zelensky was “disrespectful” to “come to the oval office to try and litigate this in front of the American media.”
Zelensky disputed Vance's claim that Ukraine had a “problem” drafted, saying that “everyone has a problem” during the war, adding that even the US “will feel that in the future.” This caused Trump to jump in and tell Zelensky not to tell him what he “feels.”
“We're trying to solve the problem. We're not in a position to direct it, so we shouldn't tell you what we're trying to feel. Trump told Zelensky.
Trump also intervened when Zelensky tried to assert that Ukraine was “only” in the war with Russia.
“You weren't alone,” Trump said. “We handed it over to you [our] Stupid President, $35 billion. We have given you military equipment. …If you hadn't had our military equipment, this war would have ended in two weeks. ”
After the meeting, Zelensky was asked to leave the White House and left without signing the expected mineral trade.
As Kristina Wong of Breitbart News previously reported, the mineral trade would have given her “access to important minerals in Ukraine in exchange for economic and perhaps military aid.”
