President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit Washington, DC in the coming days after the United States and Ukraine reached an agreement regarding natural resources and reconstruction efforts, according to a Ukrainian official.
Negotiations over the deal have been ongoing for several days, with the agreement potentially granting the US access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals. This is part of broader negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and securing US involvement in a reconstruction fund for the country.
A Ukrainian official stated that the terms of the deal were finalized after significant revisions, with “everything unacceptable removed” from the agreement, making it clearer how this deal would contribute to Ukraine’s security and peace. While the exact details are yet to be disclosed, one of the major points of contention had been a proposal from the Trump administration demanding a $500 billion share of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and other resources in exchange for the aid already provided to Kyiv. This proposal was rejected by Zelensky in earlier discussions.
The US has yet to officially confirm whether the terms have been fully agreed upon, but it is widely expected that Zelensky will travel to Washington this week.
“I hear that he’s 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,” said US President Donald Trump from the Oval Office on Tuesday.
When asked what Ukraine would receive in exchange for the mineral deal, Trump responded: “$350 billion, lots of equipment, military equipment, and the right to fight on. We’ve pretty much negotiated our deal on rare earth and various other things.” He also mentioned that discussions regarding Ukraine’s security would come later.
“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” Trump stated. “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.”
Ukraine has been vocal in pushing for security guarantees, particularly to protect the country from any future Russian aggression. These guarantees have also become a key condition for any future peace talks with Moscow.
European leaders have echoed this sentiment. Following a meeting with Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday proposed enhancing Ukraine’s military capabilities, with the possibility of deploying British and French troops to maintain peace if requested by Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is scheduled to visit the White House on Thursday, emphasized that a US “backstop” was crucial for any Ukraine peace deal, which could include security guarantees, American intelligence cooperation, air support, and heavy-lift transport.
News of the agreement follows reports that the US had previously resisted including security guarantees in the draft deal. However, a Ukrainian source close to the negotiations told CNN that some of the more difficult aspects of the resources deal will be settled in future talks, and that Zelensky and Trump may discuss security guarantees in person.
Earlier versions of the deal had been rejected by Zelensky, with concerns over the lack of American obligations in contrast to Ukraine’s expected contributions.
Despite the challenges, there are signs that the two leaders are moving closer to a final agreement.
During a recent visit to the White House, President Macron commended Trump for his “decision to work with President Zelensky” and for concluding an agreement “so important for the US and Ukraine on rare earths and critical minerals.”
