Trump-Zelensky Meeting: Tensions have increased since President Trump referred to the Ukrainian president as a “dictator” and accused him of initiating the conflict with Russia. Know more updates about the UKRAINE RUSSIA WAR here.
As part of ongoing talks for a potential ceasefire in the protracted conflict in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with US President Donald Trump at the White House today to explore a minerals deal for the US.
President Trump had referred to the Ukrainian president as a “dictator” and accused him of “starting the war” with Russia, which heightened tensions ahead of the meeting.
As the peace negotiations got underway, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Donald Trump that “there should be no compromises with a killer on our territory” during the talks, seemingly referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, President Trump made it clear that “Ukraine will have to make compromises in a truce with Russia.”
Donald Trump said that “a truce with Russia is fairly close” and that the deal allowing US access to Ukraine’s natural resources is “very fair”.
As part of a larger strategy to aid Ukraine in its recovery following a ceasefire in its conflict with Russia, the United States will have access to rare earth and other vital minerals through the signing of a resources agreement.
Zelensky and Vance’s tensions rise
Zelenskyy brought out Russia’s aggression in the years leading up to its full-scale invasion three years ago, as well as a truce that didn’t work out in 2019. “Nobody stopped him,” he claimed of Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia.
Tensions with the Ukrainian leader initially increased as a result of Vance’s defence of Trump’s strategy for bringing the war to a close by establishing contact with Putin and advocating for an immediate ceasefire.
Trump frequently portrays the war as a sort of binary struggle between two parties, both of which should bear some of the guilt or burden for the fighting and its causes.
“You’re not alone,” Trump said. “From the very beginning of the war, we have been alone and we are thankful,” Zelensky stated at one point in the interview.
Trump, who has frequently portrayed the war as a financial burden on American taxpayers, was incensed by this. His words, “You haven’t been alone,” “You’ve not been by yourself. We handed you $350 billion via this dumb president,” Trump remarked, alluding to Biden.
Vance accused Zelensky of running “for the opposition”—the Democrats—in the US election last year and enquired as to whether he had praised the US at the encounter.
“It’s going to be a very hard thing to do business like this,” said Trump. “It’s going to be a tough deal to make because the attitudes have to change.”
“Just say thank you,” Vance insisted once. The existential aspect of this moment appeared to be the driving force behind Zelensky’s reactions, which were to explain his point and fact-check the two much more powerful men.
The Deal Of The Minerals
This minerals deal for the United States in exchange for Washington’s promise to give Kyiv the security it needs against Russia is the main item on today’s meeting agenda.
The agreement is significant because it serves as the basis for upcoming negotiations aimed at reaching a peace agreement on the more than three-year-old conflict in Ukraine.
All parties involved have been urged to greatly increase their portion of the financial and military cost, as the United States bears the heaviest load of any NATO member in providing security coverage throughout Europe.
If everyone doesn’t participate, Donald Trump has warned to even think about leaving Europe’s security.