Ukraine is a quick deal for minerals, as Trump Kyiv cuts off peace talks

President Voludmir Zelinski said that Ukraine will work “very quickly and reasonably” on an agreement that gives the United States its access to its natural resources, in a clear presentation of the decline in the tensions that erupted with President Trump on the deal.

KYIV focused on strengthening its negotiating position as open in the United States and Russia talk about ending the war – with or without the participation of Ukraine. In a wave of diplomacy on Thursday and Friday, Mr. Zellinski spoke with half of the leaders of leaders in Europe and Canada to support other support sources.

As he did, however, Mr. Trump He said in a radio interview on Friday The Ukrainian president did not need to participate in talks aimed at ending the struggle for his soil.

“I don’t think it is extremely important to be in meetings to be honest with you. He was there for three years,” Mr. Trump told Brian Kilmeade, adding Fox News, adding that he was watching Mr. Zellinski, “negotiating with the absence of cards.”

“I am tired of it,” Trump said. “I was tired of it. I got it.”

Kiev and Moscow have participated in direct talks early in the invasion, but since April 2022, he has only negotiated the exchange of the prisoner and the return of Ukrainian children from Russia.

The idea of ​​trading natural resources for American assistance was presented for the first time by Ukraine, but Mr. Zelinski has turned when the United States suggested that Kiev provide access to profits from 50 percent of the country’s minerals and energy resources. Mr. Zelinski also objected that the deal did not include any American security obligations.

Several assistants of Mr. Zelinski believe that a new version of the agreement is under discussion on Thursday dealt with these concerns, and I have now advised Mr. Zelinski to sign it, according to a person familiar with the discussions in the Ukrainian government about the American proposal on Friday. It was first reported that the shift in the position of some Ukrainian officials on the deal Intuition.

Another positive sign of conversations with the United States on resources, Keith Keel, retired public lieutenant and Mr. Trump’s envoy to Ukraine for settlement negotiations, Posted on X He praised Mr. Zellinski, “the besieged and brave leader of a nation in the war and the talented national security team.” Mr. Keel said that he had “conducted wide and positive discussions” on his visit to Kyiv.

In a statement on Friday evening, Mr. Zelinski said that his negotiating team was working with their American counterparts on “an agreement that could enhance our relationships”, but the need remained “to unite the details to ensure its effectiveness.”

He added: “I look forward to the result – a fair result ..”

The talks went out of their path last week after Mr. Zellinski declined to sign him immediately on a copy presented to him by the US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessin, on a visit to Kiev.

Mr. Trump responded with a presentation against Mr. Zellinski’s moral situation in the conflict, saying falsely that Ukrainian leaders started the comprehensive war that began in 2022 with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Mr. Zellinski, in turn, said that Mr. Trump lived in a “network of misleading information”.

But the US pressure on Kyiv continued. On Thursday, US National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz, said in an interview with Fox & Friends that the Ukrainian leadership needs “to calm this and take a closer look and sign this deal.”

Mr. Zellinski suggested that the talks were advancing in a night speech to the Ukrainians on Thursday, after a meeting in Kiev with the Trump administration envoy to Ukraine and Russia, Mr. Keel, saying that it was a “meeting that restores hope.”

He did not provide any details about the potential natural resource deal, unlike saying that “the economy and security should be side by side”, and that his interest was in securing a permanent agreement with the United States.

The Ukrainian government has simultaneously followed a wave of diplomacy with Europe, in the hope that Europe will provide security obligations or military assistance to fill the gaps if the United States is blocking support.

Mr. Zelinski and other Ukrainian officials acknowledge that European countries cannot replace the full group of military and intelligence assistance provided by the United States to Ukraine, but they encouraged through discussions of the formation of a European peacekeeping force to enforce fire.

On Thursday, Mr. Zellinski spoke by phone with five European leaders, from France, the United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark, Finland, the Prime Minister in Canada, Justin Trudeau, and on Friday with the President of Poland, Andre Doda.

Within nine days since Mr. Trump opened negotiations with Russia in a phone call with President Vladimir Vin on February 12, Mr. Zelinski met or speaking over the phone with European leaders at least nine times. On Monday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was scheduled to be held on Monday.

Mr. Macron and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Kiir Starmer, will continue to pressure the Ukraine issue on planned visits to Washington next week, where they are expected to present to the Trump administration what Europe and the United Kingdom can provide and put it still required by the United States.