Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting President Trump at the White House Friday, where the two leaders are expected to sign an agreement regarding U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals.
Mr. Trump mentioned earlier this week that the U.S. had reached a deal with Zelenskyy on a broad framework for sharing Ukraine’s mineral resources, and that the Ukrainian leader was coming to the White House because he “would like to sign it together with me.” Negotiations over the minerals continued despite public tension between the two leaders in recent days. Mr. Trump appeared to blame Ukraine for the war Russia started and labeled Zelenskyy a “dictator,” while declining to say the same of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
One Ukrainian official told CBS News Kyiv hopes the signing of the agreement would ensure the continued flow of security support that Ukraine needs. Mr. Trump said Thursday the deal would help pay back American taxpayers for supporting Ukraine over the past three years.
In a post on X Wednesday, Zelenskyy wrote, “Peace and security guarantees 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’s important that U.S. support is not stopped. Strength is needed on the path to peace.”
Mr. Trump spoke with Putin earlier this month and said the Russian leader wants an end to the war. Last week, the president said he trusts Russia to negotiate in good faith, as top Trump administration officials met with Russian negotiators in Saudi Arabia without a Ukrainian representative. The president on Thursday said he believes Putin would comply with any peace agreement reached.
“I don’t believe he’s going to violate his word,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump last week called Zelenskyy a “dictator,” referring to the fact that the Ukrainian leader’s five-year term expired last year, and no new election has been held. Ukraine has been under martial law since soon after the war started in 2022, and the country’s constitution bans elections during martial law. On Monday, during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr. Trump was asked whether he views Putin as a dictator, since he called Zelenskyy one.
“I don’t use those words lightly, I think that we’re going to see how it all works out,” he replied. “Let’s see what happens.”
Mr. Trump has even cast blame on Kyiv for being invaded by Russia.
“You should have never started it, you could have made a deal,” Mr. Trump said of Ukraine last week.
Top Trump administration officials have also been reluctant to criticize Putin. National security adviser Mike Waltz didn’t answer directly when a reporter asked him if Mr. Trump views Putin as a dictator. He also sidestepped a question about who bears more responsibility for the war, Russia or Ukraine.
Referring to Mr. Trump, Waltz replied, “His goal here is to bring this war to an end, period.”
The president frequently says the war never would have started if he had been president, rather than Joe Biden. On the campaign trail, Mr. Trump vowed he would end the war between Russia and Ukraine before even taking office.
“Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after we win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled,” Mr. Trump said at a June rally. “I will get it settled before I even become president.”
But after winning the election, Mr. Trump suggested that reaching peace between Russia and Ukraine might be more difficult than forging peace in the Middle East.
“I think actually more difficult is going to be the Russia-Ukraine situation,” Mr. Trump said in December. “I see that as more difficult.”
Earlier this week, Zelenskyy said he would give up the presidency if doing so would achieve lasting peace for Ukraine and membership in NATO.
“If to achieve peace, you really need me to give up my post, I’m ready,” Zelenskyy said at a forum marking the three-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
