Ukraine-US rare earth minerals deal: Trump confirms Zelenskyy’s Washington visit

US President Donald Trump confirmed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit Washington on Friday to sign a rare earth minerals agreement, a deal that Kyiv sees as crucial for securing continued US support amid ongoing peace negotiations with Russia, Reuters reported.

However, Trump signaled that Washington is unlikely to provide extensive security guarantees, emphasizing that Europe should take on more responsibility.

The agreement, described as “preliminary” by Ukraine’s prime minister, would allocate a portion of Ukraine’s mineral revenues to a jointly controlled US-Ukraine fund.

The deal is a key component of Kyiv’s strategy to maintain American backing as Trump pushes for a swift resolution to the war.

Meanwhile, US-Russia peace talks—excluding Ukraine—are set to continue on Thursday.

Speaking about the upcoming meeting, Trump said Zelenskyy would sign the agreement covering rare earth minerals and other matters but downplayed expectations of a broader security pact.

“I’m not going to make security guarantees beyond—very much. We’re going to have Europe do that,” Trump stated, without elaborating.

Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address, stressed that Ukraine needs US security assurances to prevent future Russian aggression and underscored the importance of continued American aid.

“For me and for all of us in the world, it is important that American aid is not halted. Strength is needed on the path to peace,” he said.

The visit comes as Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson recently stated there is “no appetite” for another funding bill for Ukraine.

His remarks followed Trump’s comments calling Zelenskyy a “dictator” and warning that Kyiv must move swiftly toward peace or risk losing the war.

Zelenskyy expressed concerns over the financial aspect of the agreement, clarifying that Ukraine should not be treated as a debtor expected to repay hundreds of billions of dollars in past military aid.

“This agreement could be part of future security guarantees… but we need to understand the broader vision,” he said.

“This deal could be a great success or it could pass quietly. And the big success depends on our conversation with President Trump.”

Ukraine remains hopeful that the US will commit to long-term security guarantees, especially in the event of a peace settlement with Russia.

However, Trump’s repeated claims that the US has provided $350 billion in assistance—despite Congress approving $175 billion since the 2022 invasion—have raised further questions about future aid commitments.

As diplomacy continues, fighting on the ground has intensified.

Ukraine remains under frequent missile and drone attacks, with the war escalating into Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.

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