Wednesday, February 26, 2025 - Ukraine's
President Volodymyr Zelensky will reportedly travel to Washington, DC in the
coming days, after the United States and Ukraine agreed to terms on a deal over
natural resources and reconstruction, according to a Ukrainian official.
Negotiations
have been ongoing for days over a deal that could grant the US access to
Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as part of wider negotiations to end Russia’s
invasion, as well as US involvement in a reconstruction fund for Ukraine
According
to Reuters, a Ukrainian official said the terms were agreed upon after
“everything unacceptable was taken out of the text and it is now more clearly
spelt out how this agreement will contribute to Ukraine’s security and peace.”
Details of
the agreement are not yet known, but a major sticking point had been a demand
from the Trump administration for a $500 billion share of Ukraine’s rare earth
and other minerals in exchange for the aid the US had already provided Kyiv,
which was previously rejected by Zelensky.
As at
press time, the US has not confirmed whether the terms of a deal have been
agreed.
“I hear
that (Zelensky is) coming on Friday. Certainly, it’s OK with me if he’d like
to, and he would like to sign it together with me. And I understand that’s a
big deal, very big deal,” US President Donald Trump said from the Oval Office
on Tuesday, February 25.
Asked what
Ukraine would receive in the mineral deal, Trump said: “$350 billion and lots
of equipment, military equipment, and the right to fight on.”
“We’ve
pretty much negotiated our deal on rare earth and various other things,” Trump
told reporters, adding that “we’ll be looking to” future security for Ukraine
“later on.”
“I don’t
think that’s going to be a problem,” Trump said. “I spoke with Russia about it.
They didn’t seem to have a problem with it. So I think they understand … once
we do this, they’re not going back in.”
Ukraine
has been pushing for security guarantees, with Kyiv not only keen to see the
return of lost territory but also protection against a possible future Russian
attack if a peace deal is agreed on.
European
leaders have also stressed the necessity for security guarantees for Ukraine as
a condition for any future peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv. Following his
meeting with Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday proposed
boosting Ukraine’s military capabilities, and if requested to deploy British
and French troops to keep the peace.
British
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who will visit the White House on Thursday, has
said a US “backstop” is needed for any Ukraine peace deal, which could
potentially include security guarantees, American intelligence cooperation, air
support and heavy lift transport.
According
to CNN, a source said at the weekend that Zelensky could not accept an earlier
version of the deal because it contained no American “obligations” while
Ukraine was “expected to provide everything.”
During a visit to the White House on Monday, Macron commended Trump for his “decision to work with President Zelensky, and to conclude this agreement that’s so important for the US and Ukraine on rare earths, critical minerals.”
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