Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy returns President Trump on Friday to the White House, where the two leaders should sign an agreement concerning access to the United States to the minerals of the rare land of Ukraine.
The two leaders, who hold a joint press conference in the afternoon, shake hands on the arrival of Zelenskyy.
Trump mentioned earlier this week that the United States had entered into an agreement with Zelenskyy on a large framework to share Ukraine mineral resourcesAnd that the Ukrainian chef came to the White House because he “would like to sign him with me”. Mineral negotiations have continued despite the public tension between the two leaders in recent days. Trump seemed to blame Ukraine for the war that Russia began and called Zelenskyy as “dictator”, while refusing to say the same thing by Russian president Vladimir Putin.
A Ukrainian official told CBS News that kyiv hopes that the signing of the agreement would guarantee the continuous flow of security that Ukraine needs. Trump said Thursday that the agreement would help American taxpayers for supporting Ukraine in the past three years.
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In an article on X Wednesday, Zelenskyy wrote“Guarantees of peace and security are the key to ensuring that Russia can no longer destroy the lives of other nations.” He added: “For me and for all of us in the world, it is important that American support is not stopped. A force is necessary on the path of peace.”
Trump spoke with Putin earlier this month and said the Russian leader wanted the end of the war. Last week, the president said that he has confidence in Russia to negotiate in good faith, while senior officials of the Trump administration met Russian negotiators in Saudi Arabia without Ukrainian representative. The president said Thursday that he thought Putin would comply with any peace agreement concluded.
“I don’t think he’s going to rape his word,” said Trump.
Mr. Trump last week Called Zelenskyy a “dictator” ,, “ Referring to the fact that the five -year mandate of the Ukrainian leader expired last year and that no new election took place. Ukraine has recently been under the martial law after the start of the war in 2022, and the constitution of the country prohibited elections during martial law. On Monday, during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump was asked if he considered Putin as a dictator because he called Zelenskyy.
“I do not use these words lightly, I think we will see how it all works,” he replied. “Let’s see what’s going on.”
Trump even threw the blame on Kyiv to be invaded by Russia.
“You should never have started, you could have concluded an agreement,” Trump said about Ukraine last week.
Trump senior officials also hesitated to criticize Putin. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz did not respond directly when a journalist asked him if Mr. Trump considered Putin as a dictator. He also bypassed a question about who has more responsibility for war, Russia or Ukraine.
Referring to Mr. Trump, Waltz replied: “His goal here is to put an end to this war, end.”
The president often says war I would never have started If he had been president, rather than Joe Biden. On the campaign track, Mr. Trump promised to end the war between Russia and Ukraine before he even took office.
“Before even arriving at the Oval Office, shortly after winning the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said during a June rally. “I will install it before I even become president.”
But after winning the elections, Trump suggested that reaching peace between Russia and Ukraine could be more difficult than forging peace in the Middle East.
“I think that in fact more difficult will be the situation in Russia-Ukraine,” Trump said in December. “I see it as more difficult.”
Earlier this week, Zelenskyy said he would give up the presidency if it would make lasting peace for Ukraine and NATO members.
“If to realize peace, you really need me to abandon my post, I am ready,” Zelenskyy said in a forum marking the three -year birthday of the Russian large -scale invasion.
