“This week or next”: Trump announces meeting with Zelenskyy to sign minerals agreement

This is reported by BBC.

“I will meet with President Zelenskyy. He may come this week or next to sign an agreement on minerals,” Donald Trump said at a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Trump added that he was not sure when he will meet Russia's Vladimir Putin, though he previously said it could take place in Saudi Arabia.

"I don't know when we'll speak," he said. "At some point I'll be meeting with President Putin."

Exchange of Ukraine's rare earth metals for U.S. aid

Earlier, Donald Trump stated that he wants to negotiate with Ukraine about exchanging rare earth elements for U.S. aid. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the American leader's proposal.

Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak suggested that the U.S. president made the statement for the American audience.

Lieutenant Colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Deputy Commander of the 3rd Assault Brigade, Maxim Zhorin, also shared his opinion. The military officer is convinced that it is important not to let "all the resources be extracted to zero."

On Tuesday, February 4, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy assured that Ukraine is open to American investments.

On February 12, Zelenskyy held a meeting in Kyiv with U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent: Ukraine received the first draft of a partnership agreement from the United States.

The United States may close the sky above the Western peacekeeping forces in Ukraine in exchange for rare earth minerals, reports The Times, citing British government officials.

The Trump administration proposed that Ukraine give the U.S. 50% ownership of rare earth minerals and allow American troops to be stationed in the country for their protection in exchange for an agreement with Russia to end the war.

On February 16, it became known that the U.S. insists on controlling a broader range of Ukraine's resources, including rare metals and strategic materials. These include lithium, graphite, and uranium, which are sometimes confused with rare earth minerals.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubiostated that he would like to see "some level of gratitude" from Ukraine for the U.S.'s care. He accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of inconsistency regarding the mineral agreement.

On February 21, Bloomberg reported that the U.S. and Ukraine aim to finalize the minerals agreement by the end of the week.