On Friday, President Trump stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was sluggish in signing a minerals accord with the United States nearly two months after the anticipated contract was halted.
“Ukraine, under Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has not finalized the crucial document regarding rare earth trade with the US. It’s at least three weeks delayed. Hopefully, it will be finalized soon,” Trump posted on The true society.
Trump made the post while en route to Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral, where Zelensky is expected to attend as well.
Last week, the president expressed his hope that a contract with Ukraine would be signed in the coming days and stated it would be done “quickly.” At that time, Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent mentioned that White House officials were “still finalizing” details about when and where the signatures would occur, aiming for around April 26th, Saturday.
Zelensky reportedly stated that last week, Kyiv and Washington swiftly signed a memorandum of intent concerning the deal.
During Zelensky’s visit to the US in late February, it was anticipated he would agree to a deal granting the US access to Kyiv’s vital mineral resources in return for some protection amidst the conflict with Russia, but Trump halted talks after a clash between the two leaders.
Last month, Trump implemented an executive order aimed at increasing key mineral production in the United States, affirming that agreements with Ukraine remain on track.
In a Friday interview with Time Magazine, Trump criticized Ukraine for provoking a war with Russia linked to NATO membership, asserting that he believed Crimea would stay under Moscow’s authority as part of a resolution to the conflict.
The president also indicated on Thursday that he would make concessions towards peace if Russia agreed not to invade Ukraine. He claimed that cooperating with Zelensky is more challenging than working with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
