Zelenskyy wants to discuss security guarantees within mineral resources deal with Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasised that security guarantees in the context of mineral resource development under an agreement with the US are a key issue for him and he intends to discuss it with Donald Trump.

Zelenskyy stated that the mineral resources agreement is "part of broader arrangements with the US and could be part of security guarantees".

"I strongly insisted that we at least establish a shared understanding that all of this is part of future security guarantees. That’s why I was keen to have at least a sentence mentioning 'Ukraine’s security guarantees' in the framework agreement," Zelenskyy said in comments to Ukrainian journalists.

The president noted that the success of the mineral resources agreement – or whether it quietly fades away – will depend on his upcoming conversation with US President Donald Trump.

"If we understand that the US is one of the countries providing security guarantees, or even one of the key guarantors, then this could be a success. It could be the first step toward a sustainable and just peace, toward economic growth in Ukraine, and so on," he added. 

Earlier on 26 February, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that Ukraine would review the preliminary investment agreement on minerals with the US.

Shmyhal also stated that Kyiv does not consider signing the mineral resources deal with the US without linking it to security guarantees and that this provision has already been included in the draft agreement.

Read the full text of the "Minerals Deal", agreed by Ukraine and the United States.