Zelenskyy van Oekraïne ‘klaar’ voor mineralendeal na conflict met Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed readiness to finalize a minerals deal with the United States, despite recent tensions with US President Donald Trump. After a crucial summit with European leaders in London, Zelenskyy announced that Kyiv is prepared to move forward with the agreement, which had previously stalled due to a public disagreement with Trump.

“It is our policy to continue despite what happened in the past. We are constructive. If we agreed upon signing it, we were ready to sign it. And honestly, I believe that the United States is ready as well,” Zelenskyy stated during a press briefing at London Stansted airport.

The Ukrainian president emphasized the importance of ensuring that Ukraine’s stance is acknowledged. “Perhaps there is a need in time to analyze certain things, but I just want the Ukrainian position to be heard. It was very important to me that the Ukrainian position is heard,” he added.

Zelenskyy remained optimistic about mending relations with Trump and assured that his administration would continue to receive support from the United States. “I think our relations will continue. Because this is more than relations at a certain moment,” he said.

“We must be open. Ukraine is not the biggest country in the world but everyone can see how it fights for its independence and freedom. We count on assistance from the United States without a doubt,” he continued. “I think stopping such assistance will only help Putin. And because of that, I think the United States and representatives of the civilized world, leaders of this world definitely won’t help Putin.”

Zelenskyy’s comments came at the conclusion of a two-day visit to the United Kingdom, where European leaders aimed to present a unified front in support of Ukraine and efforts to end the ongoing conflict with Russia.

During a significant summit in London, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the UK and France would form a “coalition of the willing” to develop a peace plan to present to Trump. “We are at a crossroads in history today,” Starmer stated, urging his European colleagues to embrace this “once-in-a-generation moment” for the continent’s security.

“This is not a moment for more talk. It’s time to act. Time to step up and lead and to unite around a new plan for a just and enduring peace,” he declared.

However, the Trump administration’s proposal to jointly exploit Ukraine’s natural resources as part of a broader peace deal collapsed dramatically during a televised meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump at the White House. After Zelenskyy challenged US Vice President JD Vance’s assertion that diplomacy was necessary following the failure of the Biden administration to secure peace, Trump and Vance criticized him for not adequately appreciating US support and for overestimating his negotiating power.

In the aftermath of this exchange, Trump canceled the remainder of Zelenskyy’s visit, including the signing ceremony for the minerals deal, stating that the Ukrainian leader could return when “he is ready” for peace. Several Republican lawmakers, including Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina, suggested that Zelenskyy should resign if he was unable to negotiate effectively with Trump.

On Sunday, Zelenskyy dismissed the Republicans’ demands for him to consider resigning as “undemocratic,” although he indicated he would step down if Ukraine were granted NATO membership. “Then it means I have fulfilled my mission,” he concluded.