Zelenskyy Says He May Be Forced To Sign Mineral Agreement With U.S. In Exchange For Continued Aid | rssama.com

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A contentious U.S. connection that would person seen $500 cardinal worthy of profits from Ukrainian uncommon minerals fixed to nan United States arsenic compensation for its wartime assistance to Kyiv has been taken disconnected nan table, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said connected Sunday, a motion nan 2 sides whitethorn beryllium drafting person to an agreement.

“As of today, arsenic of this evening, nan mobility of $500 cardinal is nary longer there,” Zelenskyy said during a news convention astatine a forum of authorities officials successful Kyiv marking nan three-year day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

U.S. officials nether President Donald Trump person pressured Zelenskyy to motion a woody allowing nan U.S. access to Ukrainian uncommon world minerals arsenic a shape of compensation for nan assistance nan U.S has provided Ukraine to take sides itself against Russia’s invasion.

Zelenskyy had earlier declined a draught statement pinch nan U.S. connected mineral exploitation because it did not incorporate information guarantees and came pinch a $500 cardinal value tag.

On Sunday, he said that considering assistance to Ukraine arsenic a indebtedness to beryllium repaid would beryllium a “Pandora’s box” that would group a precedent requiring Kyiv to reimburse each its backers.

“We do not admit nan debt,” Zelenskyy said. “It will not beryllium successful nan last format of nan agreement.”

Trump’s typical envoy to nan Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said connected CNN’s “State of nan Union” Sunday that he expects a woody this week connected allowing nan U.S. to play a greater domiciled successful exploiting valuable Ukrainian minerals specified arsenic lithium and different substances utilized successful nan aerospace, defense and atomic industries.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told nan Fox News Channel connected Sunday that nan administration’s minerals scheme was to create a U.S.-Ukraine partnership, calling it a “win-win.”

“We make money if nan Ukrainian group make money,” Bessent said.

Zelenskyy’s main of staff, Andrii Yermak, near nan Kyiv forum early on pinch Economic Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko for what Yermak said were talks pinch U.S. officials connected a imaginable deal.

Later successful nan day, Yermak posted connected societal media that he’d spoken pinch U.S. officials including Bessent and Trump’s nationalist information advisor Mike Walz, saying it had been a “constructive conversation.”

“We are making advancement successful our work,” Yermak wrote. “The USA is our partner and we are grateful to nan American people.”

Zelenskyy says he’d springiness up presidency for NATO membership

In consequence to a pointed mobility from a newsman connected whether he would springiness up his presidency for bid successful Ukraine, Zelenskyy said he would do truthful if it achieved a durable extremity to nan fighting nether nan information umbrella of nan NATO subject alliance.

“If to execute peace, you really request maine to springiness up my post, I’m ready,” he said. “I tin waste and acquisition it for NATO.”

His remark appeared to beryllium aimed astatine caller suggestions by Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that elections should beryllium held contempt Ukrainian authorities prohibiting them during martial law.

Ukraine fears Trump’s argumentation displacement toward Putin

Trump’s engagement pinch Russian officials and his caller statement to reopen negotiated ties and economical practice pinch Moscow has marked a melodramatic about-face successful U.S. argumentation that has rattled leaders successful Ukraine and crossed Europe.

Zelenskyy has expressed fearfulness that Trump pushing a speedy solution would consequence successful Ukraine losing territory and being near susceptible to early Russian aggression. U.S. officials person asserted that nan Ukrainian leader would beryllium progressive if and erstwhile bid talks really start.

Trump, however, prompted siren and anger successful Ukraine this week erstwhile he suggested that Kyiv had started nan war, and that Zelenskyy was acting arsenic a “dictator” by not holding elections.

Russia’s lawman overseas curate connected Saturday said preparations were underway for a gathering betwixt Trump and Putin, a further motion that nan Russian leader’s isolation from nan U.S. was opening to thaw nether Trump.

European leaders hole for talks pinch Zelenskyy and Trump

Ursula von der Leyen, president of nan European Commission, and different apical European Union officials are group to get successful Kyiv Monday for talks pinch Ukraine’s government. European leaders person scrambled successful caller days to devise a consequence to nan Trump administration’s U.S. argumentation changes, and to travel up pinch a measurement to support support for Kyiv if assistance from Washington comes to an end.

Zelenskyy connected Sunday said he would propose a travel to a European superior successful nan adjacent week aliases 2 to speak pinch EU leaders connected information guarantees for his country.

The U.K. connected Sunday said it would denote caller sanctions against Russia connected Monday, describing them arsenic nan biggest package since nan early days of nan war. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said nan measures would beryllium aimed astatine “eroding (Russia’s) subject instrumentality and reducing revenues fueling nan fires of demolition successful Ukraine.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will make tag-team visits to Washington this week arsenic Europe attempts to seduce Trump not to abandon Ukraine successful pursuit of a bid deal.

Russia launches grounds drone strikes connected eve of anniversary

Earlier connected Sunday, Zelenskyy said Russia had launched 267 onslaught drones into Ukraine overnight, much than successful immoderate different azygous onslaught of nan war.

Ukraine’s aerial unit said 138 drones were changeable down complete 13 Ukrainian regions, pinch 119 much mislaid en way to their targets.

Three ballistic missiles besides were fired, nan aerial unit said. One personification was killed successful nan metropolis of Kryvyi Rih, according to nan metropolis subject administration.

Reacting to nan latest Russian attacks, Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said they demonstrated that “avoiding calling Russia an aggressor does not alteration nan truth that it is one.”

“No 1 should spot Putin’s words. Look astatine his actions instead,” Sybiha said successful a connection connected societal media.

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Associated Press writers Thomas Strong and Will Weissert successful Washington contributed.

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