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Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Still 'Ready to Sign' US Minerals Deal
Above: Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L), British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (C), and French Pres. Emmanuel Macron hold a meeting during a summit at Lancaster House on March 2, 2025, in London, England. Image copyright: Justin Tallis/Contributor/WPA Pool via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
Trump has been clear on this issue since the campaign trail — this war should never have started and it needs to be resolved immediately. Ukrainian Pres. Zelenskyy could have signed the minerals agreement days ago but instead insisted on coming to the US where he lectured US officials on the pitfalls of diplomacy. That was unacceptable and the Ukrainian leader should apologize for his behavior.
Pro-Europe narrative
Europe and its security are currently at a crossroads in history. Ukraine's Western partners share the vision of peace in the conflict with Russia, as long as any such deal ensures the protection of Ukraine's sovereignty, its future security, and the security of Europe as a whole. That's why allies have devised a four-point peace plan on which they will seek US cooperation.
Pro-Ukraine narrative
Ukraine is eternally thankful to the US for all it has done — without its help, Ukraine wouldn't have survived Russia's invasion. But as partners, the two nations need to have honest and direct dialogue about their shared goals and interests. Ukraine is ready to sign the minerals agreement, but that alone without security guarantees is insufficient.
Pro-Russia narrative
Talks about European peacekeepers in Ukraine completely miss the mark on the root causes of this conflict. This war started because NATO encroached on Russian territory via Ukraine and having NATO troops in the guise of peacekeepers in the country is an inadequate resolution that's out of the question.