Zelenskyy to visit Trump: Details of possible trip to US
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may visit Washington this week and meet with his American counterpart, Donald Trump. It is expected that during this visit, Kyiv and Washington will sign an agreement on minerals.
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Zelenskyy's potential visit to US
Yesterday, the Financial Times, citing an unnamed Ukrainian official, reported that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to travel to Washington on Friday, February 28, to meet with Donald Trump and officially sign an agreement on minerals.
Later that evening, Trump confirmed that Zelenskyy is planning to visit Washington on February 28 to sign an agreement on rare-earth metals "and other things." He made this statement during a conversation with reporters in the Oval Office.
"I heard that he will come on Friday. Of course, that works for me if he wants. And he would like to sign it with me. And I understand that it’s a big deal, a very big deal," said Trump.
A source from RBC-Ukraine, when asked about the timing of Zelenskyy's visit to the US, stated that "preparations for the visit are underway." However, the source did not provide any details.
However, according to Politico, an administration official warned that the situation is fluid, but Zelenskyy's visit on Friday is possible "based on the current stance," which suggests that a joint economic agreement regarding valuable mineral deposits in Ukraine is already prepared.
"A meeting at the White House would give Zelenskyy a chance to make his case for continued US support directly to Trump, who last week falsely accused Kyiv of starting the war," Western media report.
What Zelenskyy says about meeting Trump
As the 47th President of the US, Trump held phone conversations with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, and then immediately called Zelenskyy.
After that, Zelenskyy and Trump met on the sidelines of the G7 meeting, which took place on February 24 online, chaired by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
However, the Ukrainian head of state wants to meet with the American leader in person before Trump has his meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
During his press conference on February 23, the Ukrainian President stated that he did not know when he would meet with Trump.
"I want a dialogue with Trump. I don’t know when I will meet with him. I truly believe that Trump will help us end the war. But peace through strength is primarily about directing force towards the Russian Federation," said Zelenskyy.
Last face-to-face meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump
The last time the leaders of the two states met in New York. During his trip to the US, Zelenskyy visited Trump Tower, where he held talks with Trump, who was then still a candidate for the US presidency from the Republican Party.
At that time, Trump stated that he would work with both Ukraine and Russia to end the war, as he stood next to Zelenskyy before their meeting.
"We have a very good relationship (with Zelenskyy – ed.), and I also have a very good relationship, as you know, with President Putin. And I think, if we win, I think we will resolve this issue very quickly," said Trump.
The Ukrainian and American sides are close to finalizing an agreement regarding rare-earth metals and other natural resources. According to Financial Times, the final version of the agreement, dated February 24, includes the creation of a fund to which 50% of the proceeds from the "future monetization" of Ukrainian resources, including oil and gas, will be directed. These funds will be reinvested into the Ukrainian economy.
Although the Trump administration previously set strict demands, after intense negotiations, the sides reached a compromise. However, the final version of the agreement does not contain specific security guarantees for Ukraine, which Kyiv had insisted upon.
This agreement has strategic significance because rare-earth metals are key components in modern technologies such as electronics, defense industries, and renewable energy. Cooperation between Ukraine and the US in this area could strengthen economic ties and support the development of the Ukrainian economy.
To find out more about the rare-earth metals agreement and the benefits Ukraine will gain from it, according to Trump, read our article on the topic.
Sources: Financial Times, Politico, and Reuters.
