WASHINGTON (AP) — Recent advancements have been made in negotiations between the White House and Ukraine regarding a potential agreement that would grant the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, while also strengthening the alliance between Kyiv and Washington. A reliable source familiar with the situation revealed that this progress follows a period of intense discussions, during which President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky engaged in heated exchanges over differing viewpoints.
Zelensky reportedly resisted endorsing a deal proposed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a recent visit to Kyiv, and raised concerns about the absence of security assurances during a subsequent meeting with Vice President JD Vance in Munich. Despite Trump’s criticism of Zelensky’s handling of the conflict and accusations of inefficiency, significant headway was achieved during a visit to Ukraine by retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia.
During the three-day visit, Kellogg held productive meetings with Zelensky and other high-ranking Ukrainian officials, including Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Rada speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk. Although the agreement is yet to be finalized, discussions are ongoing as both sides work towards a mutually beneficial outcome.
In his recent address, Zelensky expressed optimism about the ongoing negotiations, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that the agreement is meticulously crafted to serve the interests of both nations. Trump’s earlier endorsement of such a deal aligns with Zelensky’s initial proposal to enhance Ukraine’s position in future negotiations with Moscow.
Rare earth elements, crucial components in various consumer technologies, are central to the agreement being negotiated. Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, voiced confidence that Zelensky would ultimately agree to grant the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals.
While details of the emerging deal remain undisclosed, previous propositions suggested leveraging Kyiv’s minerals as a form of compensation for past and future assistance provided by the U.S. to Ukraine. The White House National Security Council has yet to comment on the reported progress.
In a separate development, Trump administration officials engaged in preliminary discussions with senior advisers to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia regarding possible initiatives to end the ongoing conflict.
The president faced criticism from Zelenskyy for not including Ukraine and other European allies in the talks. Trump, in the radio interview, pushed back against that criticism and once again laced into Zelenskyy. The U.S. president said he didn’t think it was “important” for Zelenskyy to be in the meetings and dismissed Zelenskyy as negotiating “with no cards.” Earlier this week, Trump warned Zelenskyy that he “better move fast” to negotiate an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or risk not having a nation to lead. Trump also said of Putin that the Russian leader wants to make a deal but has options. “He doesn’t have to make a deal,” Trump said. “Because if he wanted, he would get the whole country.” Trump’s harsh words for Zelenskyy drew criticism from Democrats and even some Republicans in Congress, where Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression has had bipartisan support.
