Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Friday, February 28, 2025, to sign an agreement on sharing Ukraine’s mineral resources.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Trump said the presence of American workers extracting rare earth metals in Ukraine would provide “automatic security” for the country.
Zelensky described the agreement as preliminary, expressing hope that future deals would include U.S. security guarantees to deter Russian aggression. However, Trump rejected the idea of providing significant guarantees, asserting that the responsibility should lie with Europe instead.
The U.S. president also rejected the idea of Ukraine joining NATO, a key goal for Zelensky. “Kyiv should forget about NATO,” Trump stated, aligning with Russia’s argument that the issue was a contributing factor to the war.
Trump suggested a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia could be near, saying, “We’re going to make a deal with Russia and Ukraine to stop killing people.”
Zelensky, however, insisted that without security guarantees, a ceasefire would be ineffective. “Nothing will work, nothing,” he said, emphasizing his push for NATO membership.
Russia remains opposed to Ukraine joining NATO, arguing it would bring the alliance too close to its borders.
Trump has proposed deploying European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine as part of a ceasefire deal, but Moscow has rejected the idea.
With Ukraine facing challenges to its security and economic future, the upcoming meeting between Zelensky and Trump will be closely observed for indications of a changing U.S. policy on the war and its potential impact on Ukraine’s sovereignty, security, and strategic alliances.
