Donald Trump has said that a minerals deal will be signed with Ukraine next week.
“We have a minerals deal, which I guess is going to be signed on Thursday, Scott, next Thursday? And I assume they’re going to live up to the deal, so we’ll see,” he told reporters in the Oval Office this afternoon.
It came after Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, said that Ukraine and the US could sign a memorandum of intent on the minerals deal as soon as today.
The deal would allow the US to have privileged access to Ukraine’s natural resources and critical minerals, which Mr Trump views as a repayment for military aid provided to Kyiv under Joe Biden.
It comes after leaders from Britain, France, the US, and Ukraine met in Paris today for talks on ending the war.
An aide to Emmanuel Macron, the French president, described the talks as “excellent” and that more would take place in London next week.
Donald Trump has said he does not hold Volodymyr Zelensky responsible for starting the war in Ukraine.
It represents a shift in tone from the US president, who earlier this week criticised Ukraine for starting a war “against someone 20 times” their size.
Speaking next to Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, Mr Trump said: “I don’t hold Zelenskyy responsible, but I’m not exactly thrilled with the fact that that war started.
“And, so I’m not happy with him, and I’m not happy with anybody involved.
“I’m not blaming him, but what I am saying is that I wouldn’t say he’s done the greatest job. Okay? I’m not a big fan.”
Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Steve Witkoff of “spreading Russian narratives” about the war as senior officials from Ukraine, the US and Europe meet in Paris.
Mr Witkoff, a special envoy to Donald Trump, is among the US officials meeting with Ukrainian and European officials in Paris today.
In a sign that ongoing talks in Paris may not be going well, Mr Zelensky said: “I believe that Mr Witkoff has taken on the strategy of the Russian side. I think it is very dangerous, because he is consciously or unconsciously, I don’t know, spreading Russian narratives.”
Mr Zelensky has accused Mr Witkoff of echoing Russian propaganda in the past. On Tuesday he rejected Mr Witkoff’s claim that peace depended on the five Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russia.
Today he said Ukraine would not be ready to discuss territorial concessions until a full-scale ceasefire is put in place.
Donald Trump has said that a minerals deal will be signed with Ukraine next week.
“We have a minerals deal, which I guess is going to be signed on Thursday, Scott, next Thursday? And I assume they’re going to live up to the deal, so we’ll see,” he told reporters in the Oval Office.
The UK is set to host further talks between the US, Europe and Ukraine in London next week, a spokesman for Emmanuel Macron has said.
An aide to the French president described today’s talks in Paris as “excellent, positive and constructive”.
Today’s meeting in Paris was hailed by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, as a “very important occasion for convergence”.
“This is a very important occasion for convergence,” Mr Macron said after hosting Steve Witkoff and Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, for lunch earlier in the day.
“I think everybody wants to get peace for sure, and a robust and sustainable peace,” he said.
Ukraine wants to buy at least 10 Patriot air defence systems from the United States to shield against Russian attacks, Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists this afternoon.
“Ukraine is ready to purchase at least 10 systems. I told President Trump about this minimum during our phone conversation. He told me that America would work on it. So far, I have no other information,” the Ukrainian president said.
Ukraine has intelligence which shows China is supplying artillery and gunpowder to Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky said this afternoon.
“We believe that Chinese representatives are engaged in the production of some weapons on the territory of Russia,” he said at a press conference in Kyiv.
He did not specify whether he meant artillery systems or shells.
Pete Hegseth urged France to increase its defence spending and, alongside other Nato allies, take primary responsibility for Europe’s conventional defence during talks in Washington.
Sean Parnell, the chief Pentagon spokesperson, said Mr Hegseth and his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu also discussed efforts toward a “durable peace” in Ukraine.
Senior officials from the US, Europe and Ukraine are currently in talks in Paris over ending the war.
Leading the US delegation is Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, and Steve Witkoff, a special envoy for Donald Trump.
Earlier, Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s top adviser, said talks had included how to reach a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine.
Jonathan Powell, national security adviser to Sir Keir Starmer, is also present in Paris.
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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump says minerals deal to be signed next week – The Telegraph
