Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is looking to back out of critical minerals agreements with the United States, US President Trump told the media aboard Air Force One on March 30.
Ukrainian officials are reviewing a minerals deal granting the US significant control over Ukraine’s resources via a joint fund.
The US President told the media that he believes Zelenskyy is no longer interested in signing the agreement and warned that his refusal would have consequences.
As per Reuters, Trump said, “He’s trying to back out of the rare earth deal, and if he does that he’s got some problems, big, big problems.”
Further, “He wants to be a member of NATO, but he’s never going to be a member of NATO. He understands that”, added the US President.
President Zelenskyy, on March 28, said that he would not sign a minerals deal that intrupts with Ukraine’s plans to join the European Union.
Furthermore, he added, “Nothing that could threaten Ukraine’s accession to the EU can be accepted.”
On March 29, Kyiv sought revisions to the proposal, requesting more U.S. investment and clarity on the joint fund’s operation.
The Trump administration has acclaimed the mineral deal as an essential part of Ukraine’s path to peace but has failed to offer concrete security guarantees in exchange for broad access to resources.
Kyiv and Washington planned to sign the deal on February 28, but an Oval Office dispute derailed it.
The White House has described the minerals deal as a mechanism for the US to ‘recoup’ some of the financial aid it has provided to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Former President Donald Trump has expressed interest in negotiating a natural resources deal with Russia.
Following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 18, Trump stated that the U.S. aims to expand trade with Moscow and secure access to significant rare earth resources.
Earlier, on February 24, Putin had announced that Russia is open to collaborating with foreign partners on rare earth metal development, including in territories currently under Russian occupation in Ukraine.
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