Washington: U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz encouraged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to relax his approach and reconsider negotiations for a minerals deal with the United States.
Waltz expressed during a Fox News interview, “They need to tone it down and seriously consider signing that deal.”
The proposed agreement, which seeks a 50% share of Ukraine’s natural resources, was first introduced by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the Munich Security Conference. Bessent reportedly urged Zelensky, “You really need to sign this,” during their discussion.
However, Kyiv has thus far declined the U.S. proposal, with Zelensky stating, “I can’t sell our state” on Wednesday. He highlighted the significant support from the U.S., mentioning approximately $67 billion in military aid and $31.5 billion in budget assistance but noted that it’s unreasonable to demand a $500 billion return in minerals.
Despite the ongoing discussions, Zelensky acknowledged Ukraine’s gratitude for U.S. backing and indicated openness to negotiating a deal that would provide U.S. security guarantees. Following a meeting in Kyiv with Keith Kellogg, the U.S. special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Zelensky described their discussions as “productive” in a post on the social media platform X. He stated, “Ukraine is ready for a strong, effective investment and security agreement with the President of the U.S. We have proposed the fastest and most constructive way to achieve results.”