The United States and Ukraine are reportedly close to finalizing an agreement that would grant the US access to valuable rare earth minerals. That arrangement was proposed by the Trump administration as a means for Ukraine to repay the military aid provided by the US to aid their fight against Russia.
President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged in his nightly video address on Friday that teams from both nations were actively working on a draft proposal, according to WSJ sources.
Ukraine had initially resisted signing such a deal, which was proposed by President Donald Trump and then brought by Treasury Sec Scott Bessent to the leader during a meeting in Kiev. A heated exchange between Trump and Zelensky. The standoff raised concerns about potential diplomatic fallout between Washington and Kyiv.
"We're signing an agreement, hopefully in the next fairly short period of time," Trump said to reporters at the White House earlier today.
Trump criticized Zelensky for being tardy to a February 12 meeting with Bessent and for what he described as a "rude" response when the U.S. Treasury chief presented an initial offer for Ukraine’s mineral rights. Human Events Daily's Jack Posobiec accompanied Bessent on the trip.
Tensions escalated further during a February 14 meeting in Munich with U.S. officials Vance and Rubio, where Zelensky sparked frustration by stating he lacked the sole authority to approve such a deal.
He then declared to media that he rejected the deal and would also reject any peace brokered by the US and Russia for peace in Ukraine unless Ukraine was part of those talks.
