Zelensky: Ukraine, US working on economic deal to ensure it works
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier rejected US demands for US$500 billion (S$670 billion) in mineral wealth from Ukraine, as it lacked security guarantees for his country.
PHOTO: REUTERS
KYIV - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb 21 that officials from his country and the US were working on concluding an economic deal to ensure that the accord worked and was fair to Kyiv.
In Washington, US President Donald Trump said negotiators were close to clinching an accord.
Mr Zelensky rejected an initial proposal
"Today, the teams of Ukraine and the United States are working on a draft agreement between our governments," Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address.
"This agreement has the potential to strengthen our relations and, most importantly, the details must be arranged in such a way that ensures it works. I am hoping for a result, a fair result."
Mr Zelensky's comments followed a conversation between his chief of staff, Mr Andrii Yermak, and US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. The Ukrainian president's office said the two men discussed "aligning positions" in bilateral relations.
Mr Yermak "stressed the importance of maintaining bilateral cooperation and a high level of relations between Ukraine and the United States", according to the president's office.
Mr Waltz said on Feb 21 he expected Mr Zelensky to sign the minerals agreement with the US as part of efforts to end the Ukraine war.
"Here's the bottom line, President Zelensky is going to sign that deal, and you will see that in the very short term," Mr Waltz told the Conservative Political Action Conference on the outskirts of Washington.
Mr Zelenskiy rejected US demands for US$500 billion (S$670 billion) in mineral wealth from Ukraine to repay Washington for wartime aid, saying the US had supplied nowhere near that sum.
He also said the proposed deal offered none of the security guarantees that Ukraine is seeking as part of a peace settlement.
Mr Zelensky became involved in barbed exchanges with Mr Trump this week over approaches to a peace settlement and the opening of US-Russian talks to which Ukraine was not invited.
Mr Trump branded the Ukrainian leader "a dictator without elections," a reference to Mr Zelensky remaining in office beyond his mandate without calling a wartime election.
In his address, Mr Zelensky provided details of telephone calls he made to European and African leaders - including Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovenia, Ireland, Luxembourg and Sweden.
"The main conclusion is that Europe must and can do considerably more so that peace can realistically be achieved," he said. REUTERS
