Key Points
- Zelenskyy negotiating $350 billion minerals exchange with US
Potential security guarantees included in prospective deal
Trump administration involved in complex resource negotiation
Minerals critical to strategic geopolitical positioning
Citing an Ukranian offician the report said that the terms were agreed 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 to a USD 500 billion share of Ukraine's rare earths and other minerals in exchange for the aid the US had already provided Kyiv, which was previously rejected by Zelensky.
US President Donald Trump said from the Oval Office on Tuesday, "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,". Asked what Ukraine would receive in the mineral deal, Trump said: "USD 350 billion and lots of equipment, military equipment, and the right to fight on."
Trump told reporters, "We've pretty much negotiated our deal on rare earth and various other things," 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 further 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."
The US has not confirmed whether the terms of a deal have been agreed.
The US is trying to gain access to Ukraine's critical minerals and other resources as part of negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. In return, Ukraine has been pushing for security guarantees, and but protection against a possible future Russian invasion.
