Ukraine still ‘ready’ to sign minerals deal with Trump
Volodymyr Zelensky said he was still “prepared to sign” a U.S. mineral deal after leaving the White House without agreeing.
Ukrainian President said in response to BBC’s Laura Kuhnsberg’s question, though A fierce meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump last weekhe is still willing to have a “constructive dialogue” with the United States, adding: “I just want to hear Ukraine’s position.”
“We want our partners to remember who the invaders in this war were,” he told reporters.
When relations between the United States and Ukraine were first tense over peaceful negotiations between the Trump administration and Russia, the mineral agreement was intended as a stepping stone to establish further security relations between the two countries.
But there was a heated debate in front of media in the Oval Office at Zelensky, Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, where Ukrainian leaders were told to leave without signing the deal.
Zelensky’s remarks are US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Telling BBC’s U.S. partner CBS News, “Economic agreements are impossible without a peace agreement”.
Bessent said Zelensky “abandoned the sequencing where the mineral transactions and peace agreements should work” and instead chose to “re-reconsider” in public when it should be done privately.
Zelensky said after a summit of European leaders in London on Sunday that the aggressive nature of his recent meeting in Washington has not benefited the United States or Ukraine as partners, but has only really benefited Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, he said he would return to the White House if invited.
But he refused to be drawn to talk about discussions about Putin’s recognition of territory – Trump officials were touted as part of the peace deal – or regret how he met with Trump.
Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
A strong Ukrainian army is the “best security guarantee”
Zelensky talks with London media at the summit Agree to four-point plan to cooperate with Ukraine to stop the war and defend future Russian aggression.
These commitments include the “willed alliance” of Britain, France and other countries to defend Ukraine’s potential peace agreement.
British Prime Minister Sir Kyle Stamer reiterated that Europe “has to be heavy lifting”, but any agreement requires our support.
When asked about his thoughts on the outcome of the summit, Zelensky said that “the best security guarantee is a strong Ukrainian army.”
But he added that Europe needs some form of opinion, perhaps in the form of air defense and intelligence, which is clearly a deal with Sir Kyle.
Citing French President Emmanuel Macron’s interview with French newspaper Le Figaro on his way to the summit, he said a month-long truce was held in the air, offshore and energy infrastructure.
During this time, a peace agreement may be reached, and the deployment of European forces will take place in the second phase.
Laura Kuenssberg of the BBC He “knows everything”.
“I can switch to NATO”
Zelensky insists that Ukraine’s relationship with the United States will continue, and he is “confirm that this situation will pass”, referring to the consequences with Trump.
He said the United States and Ukraine had been communicating since Friday, but “not at my level.”
The Ukrainian leader also said: “Ukraine’s failure not only means Putin’s success, it will be a failure for Europe, it will be a failure for the United States.”
After a stroll in the Oval Office, several major Republicans supported how Trump handled the meeting and criticized Zelensky.
Senator Lindsey Graham, once a staunch supporter of Ukraine, told reporters that Zelensky “either need to resign, send people, we can do business with us, or he needs to change”.
Asked about the appeals for the benefit of U.S.-Ukraine relations, Zelensky said resigning is one thing, but preventing him from running again would require NAD membership.
Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine’s entry into the transatlantic military alliance has been a demand for Kiev. Making a key part of the country’s victory plan – Although the Trump administration says this is unlikely.
Zelensky told reporters before leaving the UK: “I can switch to NATO.”
“I’ve said I’m exchanging NATO membership, which means I’ve fulfilled my mission. NATO means I’ve completed my mission.”
He added that it would be “democratic” for people from other countries to decide who leads Ukraine, but that Graham could become a Ukrainian and then, in deciding on his leadership identity, “his voice will have significant weight.”
