President Trump expressed on Thursday his intention to finalize a mineral agreement with Ukraine, following the expected contract signing that had been delayed after a contentious meeting in the Oval Office with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“We have a mineral trade,” Trump informed reporters during a discussion with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Oval Office. “I believe it will be signed on Thursday… next Thursday? Soon.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent indicated that White House officials were “still working on the specifics” regarding where the signatures would happen but projected a target date around April 26th, next Saturday.
“It’s something we decided earlier when the President visited; we grasped the memorandum and went directly to the major agreement… and I think it’s an 80-page contract. That’s what is expected to be signed.”
An update from the White House is expected after Zelensky mentioned that Kiev and Washington were prepared to sign a memorandum of intentions related to the deal today.
“I believe they will respond to the agreement, so we will see. But we have reached an agreement on it,” Trump remarked on Thursday.
Zelensky, who met Trump in Washington in late February, was poised to finalize a deal granting the United States access to Kiev’s vital mineral resources in exchange for some form of protection amid the ongoing war with Russia.
Trump canceled negotiations after the two leaders disagreed during the meeting, asserting that Zelensky was “not ready for peace.” He instructed a halt to U.S. aid to Ukraine throughout the three-year conflict as Ukrainian officials attempted to mend the relationship.
Last month, the president enacted an executive order aimed at increasing the production of essential minerals in the United States, affirming that arrangements with Ukraine remain in progress.
How long did you inquire? Russian President Vladimir Putin must react to Trump’s suggested ceasefire agreement before Moscow encounters additional tariffs and sanctions, Trump remarked, “We’ll see.”
“We’ll find out what it entails. We’re expecting to hear from them this week. Soon, in fact. And we’ll see,” he stated. “But we want it to end. We want to stop the death and murder.”
On Monday, Trump enacted an enforcement measure that could pave the way for tariffs on crucial minerals, targeting this area amid the escalating trade conflict.
