Ukrainian and US negotiators aim to finalize a critical minerals deal amid strained transatlantic ties, a source said.Days after President Trump called Zelenskiy a “dictator” and urged a swift peace deal, Ukrainian officials met US envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv to discuss minerals.
The US proposal sought 50% of mineral license sales and other proceeds, violating Ukrainian laws, a source said. It also included oil, gas, and port revenues, per ABC News.After Kyiv proposed changes, the US sent a revised version with terms on future aid, a source added.Trump aimed for $500 billion in rare earths, but despite reports of $10 trillion in mineral deposits, Ukraine lacks major viable reserves. Most are by-products of phosphate production, with some in Russian-controlled areas.A US-Ukraine minerals deal tied to security guarantees is key to Trump’s plan to end the war.
He may soon meet with Putin.“We need strong agreements with the US—ones that truly work,” Zelenskiy said Thursday. “Economy and security must go hand in hand.”The deal could be signed by both presidents, a source said. Zelenskiy, after meeting US envoy Kellogg, seeks talks with Trump before he meets Putin.
Zelenskiy’s team rejected a US minerals deal proposed by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Kyiv last week.At the Munich Security Conference, where US officials expected him to sign, Zelenskiy refused, saying it didn’t protect Ukraine’s interests.Bessent claimed Zelenskiy initially agreed to the $500 billion deal but later backed out.“Our plan was to strengthen US-Ukraine ties, win US public support, and then pressure Russia with sanctions,” Bessent told Bloomberg Thursday.
The dispute highlighted Trump’s shift away from Ukraine. After Trump criticized Zelenskiy for not signing the deal or holding elections, Zelenskiy accused him of falling for Russian “disinformation.”Trump then called Zelenskiy a “dictator,” sparking NATO outrage and undermining US support since the war began.
Despite this, the US still seeks a minerals deal to support Trump’s plan to end the war and offset past aid to Kyiv.The US views the minerals deal as a key tie to Ukraine, but future security will largely depend on Europe, a source said.
