Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to visit Washington on Friday to finalize an economic partnership with the United States, potentially securing American investment in Ukraine’s rare earth minerals sector as part of a postwar agreement.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, former President Donald Trump said, “I hear that he’s coming on Friday. Certainly, it’s okay with me if he’d like to. He would like to sign it together with me.” He described the deal as a “very big deal.”
A senior administration official, while cautioning that plans remain fluid, indicated that Zelenskyy’s visit was likely given the current diplomatic posture. The agreement reportedly involves granting the US significant stakes in Ukraine’s rare earth minerals industry, a key sector in global technology and defense production.
Trump has recently escalated pressure on Zelenskyy, labelling him a “dictator” and blaming Ukraine for the war that Russia initiated in 2022. His administration initially proposed that Ukraine allocate $500 billion in future revenue to the US as de facto reparations for the military and humanitarian aid it has received. Zelenskyy rejected that offer but has continued negotiations to reach a modified deal.
“We’re saying, look… we want to get that money back,” Trump said on Tuesday, again overstating the total US aid sent to Ukraine, which stands at approximately $120 billion since the war began. He falsely claimed the US had provided $350 billion in aid and that European support for Ukraine was structured as a loan, a claim widely disputed.
Some of Trump’s allies, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), have suggested that US economic involvement in Ukraine’s mineral sector would serve as a form of security guarantee, as Washington would have a vested interest in protecting its investments. However, Trump has signaled that Europe, rather than the US, should be primarily responsible for Ukraine’s military security in the future.
