WASHINGTON, March 5. /TASS/. The US during talks with Russia received "strong signals" that the country is ready for the peaceful settlement in Ukraine, while Vladimir Zelensky wrote a letter to the US head of state saying that he is ready to work on "a peace that lasts" and sign a rare-earths deal at any time, President Donald Trump said in an address to a joint session of Congress.
TASS has compiled the key takeaways from Trump’s speech.
On deal with Ukraine
Trump said that he had recently received a letter from Vladimir Zelensky saying that Kiev was ready to sign a rare-earths deal with Washington: "Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it at any time that is convenient for you. I appreciate that he sent this letter, I just got it a little while ago."
On Ukrainian settlement
The US leader said his country had received "strong signals" from Russia during the talks that it was ready to reach an agreement on a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.
According to Trump, Zelensky’s letter also said that he and his team "stand ready to work under President Trump strong leadership to get a peace that lasts."
The US president also added that his predecessor Joe Biden was easily persuaded to part with colossal US budget funds to provide military aid to Ukraine: "We’ve spent perhaps $350 billion, like taking candy from a baby. That’s what happened."
On new missile defense shield
Trump said that the US government plans to develop and deploy a new missile defense shield: "As commander-in-chief, my focus is on building the most powerful military of the future. As a first step, I am asking Congress to fund a state-of-the-art Golden Dome missile defense shield to protect our homeland, all made in the US."
On tariffs
The US leader also announced his intention to impose new reciprocal tariffs on imported goods from April 2: "Other countries have used tariffs against us for decades and now it’s our turn to start using them against those other countries. On average, the European Union, China, Brazil, India, Mexico and Canada — have you heard of them? And countless other nations charge us tremendously higher tariffs than we charge them. It’s very unfair."
On Panama Canal and Greenland
US President Donald Trump has declared his intention to "reclaim the Panama Canal." According to him, State Secretary Marco Rubio will be responsible for this.
The US leader also said that he would welcome the Greenlanders' decision to join the country. He pointed out that Washington "needs Greenland for national security and even international security."
On spending incompatible with US interests
Trump emphasized that the US had allocated "$32 million for a left-wing propaganda operation in Moldova." Among other "flagrant waste of taxpayer dollars" that is no longer compatible with the US policies, the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, discovered "$10 million for male circumcision in Mozambique," "$20 million for the Arab ‘Sesame Street’ in the Middle East," and well as "$8 million for making mice transgender."
On domestic policies
Trump said that he had ended the arbitrariness of the federal government, which the Biden administration used to persecute the current US president.
According to him, the new administration has taken decisive steps to reinstate the just and impartial justice system that was sabotaged by "radical left lunatics."
The US head of state also announced plans to significantly cut taxes in the US: "And to get urgently needed relief to Americans hit especially hard by inflation, I’m calling for no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security benefits for our great seniors."
On migrants
Trump said he was working on "the great liberation of America" from illegal immigrants. According to him, "entire towns" in the US "buckled under the weight of the migrant occupation and corruption like nobody’s ever seen before."