President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine will meet with US President Donald Trump on Friday to sign a deal on critical minerals, according to a Reuters report.
This visit comes as Kyiv seeks to regain US support in its fight against the Russian invasion, while Washington reconsiders its punitive policy toward Moscow.
Zelenskiy has received significant military aid and unwavering moral support from the Biden administration, which has been crucial for Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
Minerals deal: Trump’s approach
This substantial backing, which includes billions of dollars worth of advanced weaponry, stands in stark contrast to the stance of Trump.
Trump’s approach towards Ukraine and Zelenskiy has been notably different, marked by skepticism and a transactional attitude.
This has raised concerns about the potential implications for Ukraine’s security and the broader geopolitical landscape, particularly regarding the future of US-Ukraine relations.
The Republican president expressed his desire to expedite the conclusion of the three-year war, aiming to foster improved relations with Moscow and recover US funds allocated to Ukraine’s support.
Trump has also been less committed to the idea of supporting European security.
The United States, Ukraine’s most crucial ally, has shifted its tone, causing alarm in Europe and raising concerns that Kyiv might be pressured into accepting a peace agreement that benefits Russia.
US-Ukraine mineral agreement
The recently negotiated minerals agreement will grant the US access to Ukraine’s extensive mineral resources.
However, the agreement lacks the American security guarantees that Ukraine had desired.
The US will have the right to recover some of the billions of dollars spent on weaponry provided to Kyiv.
This will be done through a reconstruction investment fund linked to the sale of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, giving Washington a way to recoup some of the costs.
Approximately two-thirds of the money Congress allocated for Ukraine was spent domestically in the US, according to a Center for Strategic and International Studies report published last year.
Kyiv believes that the agreement will encourage Trump to back their attempts to reclaim territory lost to Russia.
Additionally, the deal could garner Republican congressional support for a new round of aid to the war-torn country.
Trump has extensively been critical about Zelensky in recent weeks, also calling him a dictator.
However, at a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, Trump stated: “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that.”
Trump expressed admiration for the Ukrainian military’s courage and said he was eager to meet Zelenskiy.
Trump said:
We’re working very hard to get that war brought to an end. I think we’ve made a lot of progress, and I think it’s moving along pretty rapidly.
“It’ll either be fairly soon or it won’t be at all,” he added.
Starmer conveyed that he and Trump had deliberated on a strategy to establish a peace that is “tough and fair,” shaped by Ukraine, and supported by strength to prevent Putin from further aggression.
Britain was willing to provide military personnel to serve as peacekeepers on the ground, as Starmer believed this was the only way to ensure lasting peace.
While Starmer asked for US involvement, Trump avoided making a commitment.
Ukraine will contribute half of all future revenues earned from its government-owned natural resources to a joint US-Ukraine reconstruction fund.
This is part of an agreement that Trump and Zelenskiy are expected to sign on Friday.
The assets, which are not named in the agreement, include deposits of minerals, oil, natural gas and other extractable materials as well as other infrastructure such as LNG terminals and ports.
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