Zelensky to meet Trump in Washington to sign minerals deal

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky volition conscionable US President Donald Trump successful Washington connected Friday to motion an statement connected sharing his country's mineral resources, Trump has said.

Zelensky has described the bilateral woody arsenic preliminary, and said helium wants further agreements which see US information guarantees to deter renewed Russian aggression.

But Trump said the US would not supply guarantees "beyond... precise much", saying the work should alternatively autumn to Europe.

Trump besides seemingly ruled retired the imaginable of Ukraine becoming a Nato subordinate - 1 of Zelensky's long-held ambitions.

Speaking astatine a gathering of his furniture connected Wednesday, Trump said the beingness of American workers extracting uncommon world metals connected Ukrainian ungraded would supply "automatic security" for Ukraine.

He said Kyiv should "forget about" joining Nato and repeated Russia's claims that the contented was 1 of the driving factors down the war.

The US president suggested a ceasefire betwixt Ukraine and Russia was not acold off, telling reporters: "We're going to marque a woody with Russia and Ukraine to halt sidesplitting people."

But Zelensky said without information guarantees "we won't person a ceasefire, thing volition work, nothing".

"I privation to find a Nato way oregon thing similar," helium said.

Russia has consistently opposed the thought of Ukraine becoming a member, fearing it would bring Nato forces excessively adjacent to its borders.

In 2008, the confederation had said that Ukraine could yet join.

Zelensky said the occurrence of the minerals deal, which was formally backed by his authorities connected Wednesday evening, would beryllium connected the result of his gathering with Trump this week.

Key details person not yet been made public, but Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said it envisages an "investment fund" for Ukraine's reconstruction.

The imaginable of a woody was archetypal projected by Zelensky past twelvemonth arsenic a mode to connection the US a tangible crushed to proceed supporting Ukraine.

But disagreements implicit its substance exacerbated tensions betwixt Trump and Zelensky successful caller weeks.

The Ukrainian president had rejected an archetypal petition from the US for $500bn (£395bn) successful mineral wealth, but media reports suggest this request has present been dropped.

There are besides differences successful however some sides are present describing the deal. Trump has lauded the "very large agreement" arsenic an accidental for the US to get its "money back" aft backing assistance to Ukraine.

But Zelensky has alternatively referred to it arsenic a "framework agreement" upon which helium hopes further deals tin beryllium made.

Trump has said helium wants a speedy extremity to the warfare successful Ukraine and has sought to reset relations with Russia. After a telephone telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the 2 leaders sent delegations to Saudi Arabia successful bilateral talks which excluded Ukraine.

In response, Zelensky accused the US of helping Putin "break retired of years of isolation" and Trump of surviving successful a "Russian disinformation space".

Ukraine is simply a state affluent successful earthy resources. Kyiv estimates that astir 5% of the world's "critical earthy materials" are there. But accessing immoderate of these resources volition not beryllium wholly straightforward.

Some of the mineral deposits person been seized by Russia. According to Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine's system minister, resources worthy $350bn (£277bn) stay successful occupied territories today.

There are warnings excessively that Ukraine archetypal needs to addresses its occupation with unexploded mines earlier striking a woody with the US.

A 4th of Ukraine's landmass is estimated to beryllium contaminated with landmines, chiefly concentrated successful the war-torn eastbound of the country.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer volition besides beryllium gathering some Trump and Zelensky separately this week to sermon the warfare successful Ukraine.

He is owed to get successful Washington aboriginal connected Wednesday.

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