Donald Trump seems to have won in his trade standoff with Volodymyr Zelensky, as the Ukrainian leader is now expected to agree to a deal granting the U.S. access to valuable critical mineral deposits. This deal is seen as crucial to meeting Washington's conditions for a peace resolution between Ukraine and Russia, to end their three-year-long conflict.
The move marks a dramatic reversal for Zelensky, who had firmly stated just days earlier, "I defend Ukraine, I cannot sell our country." On Friday, Zelensky said that representatives from Ukraine and the United States were working on finalizing an economic agreement, to ensure that the deal was effective and equitable for Kyiv.
Zelensky Surrenders to Trump's Pressure
"We're signing an agreement, hopefully in the next fairly short period of time," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about a deal regarding Ukraine's mineral resources. According to The Wall Street Journal, sources familiar with the situation confirmed that the deal is nearly complete and is expected to be signed within hours.
This development follows intense negotiations in which Zelensky frustrated Trump to the point that the president reportedly threatened to withdraw all U.S. funding from Ukraine, as per Axios.
In just a week, Zelensky had seemingly exhausted the patience of the entire American negotiating team—including Trump, JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz.
Trump accused Zelensky of being tardy to a meeting with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and acting "rude" when Bessent made the initial offer for Ukraine's mineral resources on February 12.
Tensions escalated further just two days later during a meeting with JD Vance and Marco Rubio in Munich, where Zelensky angered U.S. officials by saying that he lacked the authority to approve a deal on his own.
On February 15, Zelensky publicly dismissed the proposed agreement, declaring it was "not in the interests of a sovereign Ukraine."
His stance grew even more volatile three days later when he lashed out at discussions between the U.S. and Russia in Saudi Arabia—talks from which he had been excluded. This led Trump to claim that Zelensky's approval ratings had dropped to 4 percent.
Nothing Can Stop Trump
The dispute intensified on Wednesday when Trump took to social media, labeling Zelensky a "dictator." Zelensky rejected what Trump's team described as "an economic partnership" and a "historic opportunity" for the United States to co-invest in Ukraine's economy and natural resources.
Ukraine is believed to possess the largest reserves of titanium in Europe, a crucial material for manufacturing aircraft and naval vessels, as well as lithium, a highly sought-after resource amid the growing demand for batteries, particularly for electric vehicles.
The war-ravaged country also holds deposits of rare earth minerals that are essential for high-tech industries, including defense and clean energy sectors.
Zelensky reacted angrily to the initial proposal, arguing that it lacked clarity and insisting on a 50 percent stake in Ukraine's mineral deposits.
He claimed that Trump was seeking $500 billion worth of minerals—far exceeding the $100 billion the U.S. had contributed to Ukraine's war effort. Now, the agreement seems to be moving forward, reportedly with the help of retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump's envoy to Ukraine. Ironically, the president had earlier criticized Kellogg for being too sympathetic to Zelensky, according to Politico.
Kellogg and Zelensky met in Kyiv on Thursday, where the Ukrainian leader praised the envoy's efforts, saying his work "restores hope."
"I gave instructions to work swiftly and very sensibly," Zelensky said.
Kellogg played a key role in finalizing the agreement by publicly praising Zelensky and spending three days with him in Kyiv, according to sources close to the Ukrainian government.
Trump has repeatedly said that the Russia-Ukraine war would never have begun if he had been in office and has claimed he could end the conflict swiftly—though he has never disclosed how he would achieve that.
The president has made it clear that Ukraine must compensate the U.S. for the aid it has received to support its war effort.
Trump suggested that Kyiv could start repaying the U.S. for the help provided over the past three years by offering "around $500 billion worth" of critical minerals. It is evident that securing access to Ukraine's natural resources has been a key component of the Trump administration's strategy from the beginning.
