Trump announces Zelenskiy visit for rare earth minerals agreement

Donald Trump has confirmed that Volodymyr Zelenskiy will visit Washington on Friday to sign an agreement on Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, though the deal’s success hinges on discussions between the two leaders.

Under the agreement, Ukraine would allocate 50% of future revenue from its state-owned mineral resources to a jointly controlled fund. Kyiv is pushing for stronger US security commitments amid Trump’s efforts to accelerate peace talks with Russia, which so far have excluded Ukraine.

However, Trump made it clear that Washington would not provide broad security guarantees. "I’m not going to make security guarantees beyond – very much. We’re going to have Europe do that," he said.

Zelenskiy expressed hope that the deal could contribute to future security arrangements but cautioned that its success would depend on Friday’s talks. "This deal could be a great success or pass quietly. And that success depends on our conversation with President Trump," he said.

Meanwhile, Russia and the US will hold further negotiations in Istanbul on Thursday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has ruled out the possibility of European peacekeepers in Ukraine, despite Trump suggesting that international forces may be needed in a post-war scenario.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal described the minerals deal as "preliminary," stating that it would be signed only after both presidents reach an agreement on security issues. 

"The US has committed to supporting Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees, but there are no direct pledges yet," he said.

A draft agreement seen by Reuters states that "The Government of the United States of America supports Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace." 

However, Shmyhal reassured Ukrainians that existing deposits, facilities, licences, and rents would remain under Ukrainian control.