Ukraine Prepares to Finalize Minerals Agreement with U.S., Awaiting Trump Talks
KYIV:
Ukraine announced on Wednesday that it is moving forward with a strategic minerals agreement with the United States, though its success hinges on upcoming discussions with former President Donald Trump.
Under the proposed deal, Kyiv would allocate a portion of its mineral resource revenues to a jointly managed U.S.-Ukraine fund. This agreement is a key component of Ukraine’s strategy to strengthen its ties with Trump, who has been pushing for a swift resolution to the ongoing conflict with Russia. U.S.-Russia negotiations, which have excluded Ukraine so far, are set to resume on Thursday.
While Trump confirmed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is expected to visit Washington on Friday, he downplayed the likelihood of broad security commitments from the U.S. Kyiv has been seeking American security guarantees as part of the agreement, which Trump has framed as compensation for U.S. assistance during the war.
“I won’t be offering extensive security guarantees—Europe should take on that responsibility,” Trump stated. Meanwhile, Zelenskiy emphasized that the deal’s primary benefit lies in ensuring Ukraine is not burdened with repaying billions in military aid.
“This agreement could be a step toward future security assurances. However, we must clarify the bigger picture,” Zelenskiy remarked in Kyiv. “Its success depends largely on our discussions with President Trump.”
Ukraine hopes that if a peace settlement is reached, the U.S. will provide security guarantees to protect against future Russian aggression. Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, Russia continues its military offensives, with Ukraine enduring relentless missile and drone attacks in what has become Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
Uncertainty Surrounding Washington Visit
On Tuesday, Trump mentioned that Zelenskiy was seeking to visit Washington on Friday to finalize a “significant agreement.” However, while both sides are still coordinating the trip, a White House official cast doubt on whether it would take place as scheduled. Later, Trump reaffirmed that Zelenskiy’s visit was still planned for Friday.
Trump has been highly critical of Zelenskiy, shifting U.S. policy on the war by ending the push to isolate Russia. He previously referred to the Ukrainian leader as a “dictator.” Meanwhile, diplomatic discussions between Russia and the U.S. have intensified. Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 12, followed by a Russian-American meeting in Saudi Arabia on February 18.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed that Russian and U.S. officials would meet in Istanbul on Thursday to address bilateral disputes. He reiterated that Moscow opposes any European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, even though Trump has suggested that such an initiative may be necessary to secure a peace agreement. “No one has officially approached us about this,” Lavrov said during a visit to Qatar.
Preliminary Agreement Moves Forward
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that Washington is committed to supporting Ukraine’s pursuit of security guarantees under the finalized deal, though the U.S. has not provided explicit security assurances.
Shmyhal noted that Ukraine’s government would approve the final wording of the agreement later on Wednesday to move toward signing. He described the document as a “preliminary” step in broader negotiations.
