President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 28 to finalize a critical minerals deal between Ukraine and the United States, the president confirmed in his evening address on Feb. 26.
Previously, Trump announced that Zelensky would sign the deal at the White House on Feb. 28.
"Our teams are working with America, we are preparing for talks this Friday," Zelensky said in a video posted to his official Telegram channel.
"An agreement with America. ... I will meet with President Trump. It is important for me and all of us in the world that America's assistance is not stopped."
Following a series of intensive negotiations, Washington and Kyiv agreed on a deal to establish a fund to which Ukraine will contribute 50% of proceeds from the "future monetization" of state-owned mineral resources, including oil, gas, and logistics infrastructure.
Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers approved the decision to sign the mineral resources agreement on Feb. 26, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
The agreement does not lay out any concrete security guarantees in exchange for U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral resource revenues. Zelensky told reporters that although specific measures are not included in the current agreement, guarantees will be discussed in future negotiations.
"Guarantees of peace and security are the key to ensuring that Russia no longer destroys the lives of other nations," he said in his Feb. 26 address.
Zelensky initially rejected a proposed U.S. minerals agreement because it lacked security guarantees for Ukraine, something Kyiv has said is essential to any deal. Zelensky's rejection triggered backlash from the Trump administration, which put increasing pressure on Ukraine to sign the deal even as it made overtures toward Moscow.
The White House has characterized the agreement as a way for the U.S. to "recoup" the financial aid it has directed to Kyiv since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Trump said on Feb. 25 that the deal offers Ukraine "military equipment and the right to fight on."
In his remarks on Feb. 26, Zelensky said the agreement is a sign of U.S. support.
"It is important for me and all of us in the world that America's assistance is not stopped," he said.
The Kyiv Independent
Independent journalism needs a community —
not a paywall.
We’re working hard to show the world the truth of Russia’s brutal war — and we’re keeping it free for everyone, because reliable information should be available to all.
Our goal: reach 20,000 members to prove independent journalism can survive without paywalls, billionaires, or compromise. Will you help us do it?
(Updated: )
