Washington: US President Donald Trump confirmed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the US, but made it clear that Washington will not provide security guarantees to Ukraine.
According to the Ukrainian government, it is close to finalizing a framework mineral resources agreement with the US, under which Kiev will pay part of its mineral revenues to a joint US fund.
The agreement is an attempt to gain US support for Ukraine, as Trump has pushed ahead with Russia-US talks, which have not included Ukraine.
Trump made it clear that “we will ask Europe to provide security guarantees, not the US.”
Zelensky said that “this agreement could become part of security guarantees in the future, but we need more clarity on that.”
Trump had previously said Zelensky was coming to Washington to make a “very big deal,” but a White House official cast doubt on the visit. Later, Trump again confirmed that Zelensky would visit on Friday.
Negotiations between Russia and the United States over the Ukraine conflict are ongoing, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announcing that “American and Russian diplomats will meet in Istanbul.”
Meanwhile, Russia continues to launch missile and drone strikes on Ukraine, which has become Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II.
