The Power Within: The Kyiv Independent’s first-ever magazine. Be among the first to get it.

pre-order now
Skip to content
Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine's president, during a news conference in the Indian Treaty Room on the White House complex, in Washington, DC, US, on Dec. 12, 2023. (Al Drago / Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a comment from President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference has been postponed to allow the U.S. time to review a draft memorandum of partnership submitted by Kyiv, a source in the Zelensky's Office told the Kyiv Independent on Feb. 14.

The postponement comes as the U.S. considers a proposed minerals agreement that could link future aid to Ukraine with access to its rare earth mineral reserves.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent delivered a draft of the agreement to Zelensky during a visit to Kyiv on Feb. 12. Ukraine finalized and handed over the memorandum to the U.S. side, which requested additional time to review the document until 5 p.m.

During his press conference, Zelensky confirmed that the meeting with Vance would take place later in the day.

The draft memorandum is part of broader discussions on a potential minerals agreement, which U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested could involve access to Ukraine's mineral reserves in exchange for continued military and financial support.

Zelensky has expressed openness to such an arrangement, saying that Ukraine is willing to grant U.S. companies access to minerals in exchange for sustained support from Washington.

The proposed minerals agreement could mark a significant shift in U.S.-Ukraine relations, tying economic cooperation to security assistance.

3 lessons from Minsk II for the US in a future Russia-Ukraine peace deal
The following op-ed is based on a broader report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), published on Feb. 11, 2025. Some peace deals lead to peace; others lead to more war. The Minsk II deal, aimed at ending Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014, instead

News Feed

2:49 PM

Russia's Lavrov says NATO 'should have been dissolved.'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued that the end of the Eastern Bloc eliminated the threat NATO was originally created to counter, yet the alliance not only persisted but also allegedly claimed a dominant role in European security.
12:22 PM

EU secures two-thirds of 2 million rounds for Ukraine, Kallas says.

"I'm happy to see we already have two-thirds of my ammunition initiative together," Kaja Kallas told reporters ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, referring to an initiative to provide Ukraine with 2 million high-caliber rounds worth 5 billion euros ($5.7 billion).
11:32 AM

Moldova aims to conclude EU accession talks by end of 2027.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu said on April 13 that she hopes her country can wrap up EU accession talks by the end of 2027, warning that upcoming parliamentary elections will be critical in preserving Moldova’s pro-European trajectory.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.