Editor's note: This story has been updated with Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers' approval of the agreement and President Volodymyr Zelensky's confirmation of the upcoming meeting.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Washington on Feb. 28 to sign a minerals agreement between the two countries.
"It's now confirmed, and we're going to be signing an agreement which will be a very big agreement," Trump said on Feb. 26 during a White House cabinet meeting.
Zelensky later confirmed the upcoming meeting with Trump, saying in his evening address that he was "preparing for talks this Friday."
Following weeks of tense 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.
It excludes revenue streams already flowing into Ukraine's budget, meaning it will not impact Naftogaz and Ukrnafta, the country's largest oil and gas producers.
The final version drops earlier U.S. demands for a $500 billion claim over Ukraine's resources, which had been a major sticking point.
Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers approved the decision to sign the mineral resources agreement on Feb. 26, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
Security guarantees, a key issue for Kyiv, are not explicitly included in the agreement but will be discussed in future negotiations, Zelensky told journalists on Feb. 26.
Zelensky also said he plans to use the meeting with Trump to ask about continued U.S. support, Washington's direct talks with Moscow, and the prospect of a broader strategy to end the war.
"I have already emphasized that it is unacceptable for us if decisions about us are made without us," he said.
The U.S. and Russia held their first direct negotiations in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18, marking the first such meeting since Moscow's full-scale invasion began.
A second round is set for Feb. 27, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov saying discussions will include the reopening of embassies.
Trump, who has repeatedly said he wants to broker a deal to end the war, suggested a ceasefire agreement was within reach.
"Most importantly, by far, we're going to make a deal with Russia and Ukraine to stop killing people," he said on Feb. 26.
Zelensky noted he hopes to get more answers from the meeting about what to expect from the United States in the near future and "what joint plan we can prepare to end this war."
The meeting comes as Trump's outreach to Moscow fuels concerns in Kyiv and among European allies. He has also escalated rhetoric against Zelensky, calling him a "dictator without elections," echoing Russian propaganda narratives.
His remarks ignore the fact that Ukraine's constitution prohibits elections during martial law, which has been in effect since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
The Kyiv Independent
(Updated: )
