President Trump, who is meeting with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the White House on Monday, announced that a minerals agreement Washington has been demanding from Kyiv is “very close.”
According to Trump, Zelensky may arrive at the White House “this or next week” to sign the deal. The U.S. president also assured that he could end the war in Ukraine within the next few weeks. Furthermore, he claimed that Russia would accept European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine.
Zelensky on Russia’s Ultimatums: Nothing New
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at a joint press conference in Kyiv with foreign leaders, dismissed Moscow’s repeated demands:
“We hear the same words from Russia every week. Nothing new. We must stay the course. We must strengthen ourselves. We need to deepen our understanding of what we can achieve in Europe. Increase production. Bolster our army. And, of course, negotiate with partners (…) on security guarantees for Ukraine. We must be ready for anything.”
At a conference marking the third anniversary of the war with Russia, Zelensky emphasized that diplomatic options should not be ruled out.
“But without violating our state’s constitution and without undermining the interests of Ukrainians and all Europeans. (…) No matter what ultimatums come from Russia, we will continue our work. As long as we have such strong partners, we are not alone in this fight,“
“Zelensky stated.