Trump says Zelenskyy offered to sign minerals deal 'at any time'

US President Donald Trump said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has informed him that he’s ready for talks with Russia to end the war in his country and offered to sign a deal on Ukraine's mineral resources "at any time,” RFE/RL reported.

Trump told a joint session of Congress on March 4 that Zelenskyy sent him a letter expressing willingness to come to the negotiating table.

Trump’s announcement came after the scandalous argument with Zelenskyy at the White House, followed by the US suspension of military aid to Ukraine.

"Earlier today, I received an important letter from President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. The letter reads, '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,' he said," Trump quoted the letter as saying, according to RFE/RL.

Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy said that "none of us want an endless war," adding that Ukraine was "ready to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring long-term peace closer."

"My team and I are ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to achieve long-term peace," he added.

Trump said 2,000 people were being killed every week in the war -- both young Russians and young Ukrainians.

"I want it to stop," he said, claiming that the United States had spent "perhaps $350 billion," while Europe has spent just $100 billion.

European leaders have disputed similar previous claims by US officials.