Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on Friday to sign a preliminary agreement on Ukraine’s mineral resources. Zelensky hopes the deal will pave the way for broader agreements, including US security guarantees, but Trump has dismissed the possibility of significant commitments, insisting Europe should take responsibility.
Trump has also ruled out Ukraine joining NATO and suggested that US workers extracting rare earth metals in Ukraine would provide “automatic security.” The mineral deal, backed by Kyiv on Wednesday, includes an investment fund for Ukraine’s reconstruction. However, key details remain undisclosed, and disagreements over terms have strained recent US-Ukraine relations.
Trump aims to broker a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, but Zelensky insists security guarantees are essential. Meanwhile, European leaders stress that any peace agreement must include their input. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is also set to meet both leaders separately to discuss the war.
