Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump met at the White House. This is the first meeting between the leaders of the United States and Ukraine since Donald Trump won the US presidential election. Today they are to sign an agreement on Ukrainian minerals.
Getty Images / «Babel'»
UPD: Trump and Zelensky began arguing and raised their voices during the conversation.
It all started with the words of the Ukrainian president about the need to provide Ukraine with security guarantees and actively include us in the negotiation process.
"You have no right to tell us what to do," Zelensky said.
Trump started talking about destroyed Ukrainian cities and the shortage of men in Ukraine. To which Zelensky responded that the American leader should come to Ukraine and check.
"You should be grateful. You donʼt have the cards in your hands," Trump said, once again recalling that the US allegedly gave Ukraine $350 million in aid.
The President of Ukraine replied that he "didnʼt come here to play cards".
President Zelensky also once again emphasized that Europe must be at the negotiating table.
According to him, the ceasefire proposed by Trump is not a solution. Ukraine will never simply accept a ceasefire without security guarantees, because Russia has violated such truces 25 times.
Before the dispute, during a brief chat with reporters, the leaders discussed the importance of the minerals deal. Asked whether minerals located in eastern Ukraine were included in the deal, Trump replied: "Weʼll see."
Zelensky also showed Trump photos of Ukrainian fighters released from Russian captivity.
Before meeting with Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky met with a bipartisan delegation from the US Senate.
The discussion focused on continued military assistance to Ukraine, efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace, Ukraineʼs vision for ending the war, and the importance of reliable security guarantees.
What kind of agreement is about?
The draft agreement on rare earth minerals was first brought to Ukraine by the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on February 12. Washington hoped that Kyiv would sign it immediately. President Zelensky said that he had banned signing the agreement because it would not be able to protect Ukraineʼs interests — there is no connection with investments, profits, and security guarantees.
Previously, the US President Donald Trump stated that Ukraine had "essentially agreed" to transfer half a trillion dollars worth of rare earth metals to Washington as payment for US military aid.
Ukraine said it was ready to sign an agreement on rare earth metals, but Kyiv needed security guarantees. Zelensky added: “The document was clear in only one thing — we must give 50% of everything listed there.” After that, the agreement was sent for revision.
At the time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that the framework agreement did not specify all the security guarantees that Ukraine wanted. But the text states that the United States supports “Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees necessary for a sustainable peace”.
On February 26, the government approved an agreement between Ukraine and the United States on mineral extraction. The agreement has six main provisions:
"You have no right to tell us what to do," Zelensky said.
Trump started talking about destroyed Ukrainian cities and the shortage of men in Ukraine. To which Zelensky replied that the American leader should come to Ukraine and check.
"You have to be smart. You donʼt have any cards in your hand," Trump said.
- Ukraine and the United States are creating a Reconstruction Investment Fund. This is a joint property that will be jointly managed by the governments of both countries.
- Ukrainian subsoil and resources remain Ukrainian; they are not transferred to the ownership of the United States or anyone else.
- Ukraine will contribute 50% of future revenues from its minerals to the Fund.
- The United States will contribute to the Fund in the form of funds, financial instruments, and other assets critical to Ukraineʼs reconstruction.
- The funds raised by the Fund will be invested exclusively in projects to rebuild Ukraine. In fact, it is a Fund for future generations of Ukrainians.
- The agreement takes into account Ukraineʼs obligations within the framework of the European integration process. That is, nothing in it contradicts Ukraineʼs European integration obligations.
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