Zelensky to meet Trump in Washington to sign minerals deal

Trump said that Ukrainian President Folodimir Zelinski will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on Friday to sign an agreement to share mineral resources in his country.

Zelensky described the bilateral deal as preliminary, and he said he wanted more agreements that include American security guarantees to deter the renewed Russian aggression.

But Trump said that the United States will not provide guarantees “beyond … a lot”, saying that responsibility should instead fall into Europe.

Trump also excluded the possibility that Ukraine would become a member of NATO – one of Zelinski’s long ambitions.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Trump said that the presence of American workers who extract rare ground minerals on Ukrainian territory will provide “automatic security” for Ukraine.

He said that Kiev should “forget” to join NATO and repeat Russia’s claims that the issue was one of the driving factors behind the war.

The US President suggested a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia was not far away, telling reporters: “We will make a deal with Russia and Ukraine to stop killing people.”

But Zelensky said without security guarantees, “We will not have a ceasefire, nothing will work, nothing.”

“I want to find a path to NATO or something similar,” he said.

Russia has constantly opposed the idea that Ukraine becomes a member, for fear that it would make NATO forces very close to its borders.

In 2008, the coalition said that Ukraine could eventually join.

Trump suggested that European peacekeepers in Ukraine be stationed as part of the ceasefire deal, but Russia says it is against this.

Zelinski said that the success of the metal deal, which was officially supported by his government on Wednesday evening, depends on the results of his meeting with Trump this week.

The main details have not been published yet, but Ukrainian Prime Minister Dennis Shmeisal said he was calling for an “investment fund” to rebuild Ukraine.

Last year, Zelensky suggested the possibility of a deal to provide a tangible reason to continue the support of Ukraine.

However, the differences over their essence have exacerbated the tensions between Trump and Zelinski in recent weeks.

Ukrainian President rejected an initial request from the United States for 500 billion dollars (395 billion pounds) with mineral wealth, but media reports indicate that this request has now been dropped.

There are also differences in how the two parties now describe the deal. Trump praised the “very big agreement” as an opportunity for the United States to obtain “money” after financing aid to Ukraine.

But Zelensky has instead indicated that it is a “framework agreement” that hopes to make more deals.

Trump said he wanted a quick end to the war in Ukraine and sought to reset relations with Russia. After a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the two leaders sent delegations to Saudi Arabia in bilateral talks that excluded Ukraine.

In response, Zelinski accused the United States of helping Putin to “get out of years of isolation” and Trump to live in “Russian misinformation.”

Ukraine is a country rich in natural resources. KYIV estimates that about 5 % of the “critical raw materials” in the world exists. But reaching some of these resources will not be completely clear.

Some metal deposits have been seized by Russia. According to Yulia Svydenko, Minister of Economy in Ukraine, resources are still worth 350 billion dollars (277 billion pounds) in the occupied areas today.

There are also warnings that Ukraine first needs to address its problem with unintended mines before concluding a deal with the United States.

It is estimated that a quarter of the Earth’s mass in Ukraine is contaminated with landmines, which are mainly concentrated in the east of the war -torn country.

Putin also said it is open to submitting access to the United States to rare minerals, including from Ukraine occupied by Russian.

British Prime Minister Sir Kerr Starmer will also meet Trump and Zelinski separately this week to discuss the war in Ukraine.

It is scheduled to arrive in Washington later on Wednesday.