Zelenskiy says 'Let's do a deal', offering Trump mineral partnership, seeking security
In an interview on Friday with, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pored over a map once classified of vast deposits of rare Earths and other vital minerals. This was part of an effort to appeal to Donald Trump’s love of deals.
The U.S. President, whose administration is pushing for a swift end to Ukraine's conflict with Russia, stated on Monday that he wants Ukraine to provide the U.S. rare earths and minerals in exchange for financial support of its war effort.
Zelenskiy stated that if we were to discuss a settlement, Ukraine would need security guarantees from allies.
Ukraine floated last fall the idea of allowing allies to invest in its vital minerals. It presented a "victory" plan that aimed to place it in a strong position for negotiations and force Moscow to come to the table.
Zelenskiy stated that less than 20% (including about half of its rare earth deposits) of Ukraine's minerals resources were under Russian occupation.
Zelenskiy suggested that Moscow could make these resources available to its allies, North Korea and Iran - both of whom are sworn enemies of the United States.
He said: "We must stop Putin and protect the very rich Dnipro Region, central Ukraine."
Since months, Russian troops have gained ground in the East. They are pouring huge resources into a relentless offensive. Kyiv’s smaller army is struggling with a lack of soldiers and worries about future weapons supplied from abroad. Zelenskiy spread a map in the heavily-defended President's Office in Kyiv. It showed a number of mineral deposits including a large strip of land marked in the east as containing rare Earths. About half of the map appeared to be on Russia’s side of current frontlines.
He said that Ukraine has the largest reserves in Europe of titanium, which is essential for aviation and space industries, as well as uranium for nuclear energy and weapons.
The deposits of titanium were found in the northwestern Ukraine far away from the conflict.
Ukraine has quickly re-tuned its approach to foreign policy in order to align itself with the transactional view of the world set forth by the White House's new occupant, Ukraine's closest ally.
Zelenskiy stressed that Kyiv did not propose "giving away" their resources, but offered a mutually-beneficial partnership to develop them together:
"The Americans helped most and should therefore earn the most." They should, and will. "I would like to discuss this issue with President Trump as well."
He claimed that Russia was well aware of the location of Ukraine's most important resources, thanks to Soviet-era surveys which were sent back to Moscow after Kyiv won independence in 1991.
Zelenskiy also said that Kyiv was in discussions with the White House about the possibility of storing U.S. LNG underground at Ukraine's vast gas storage facilities.
"I know the Trump administration has a keen interest in it... We are ready and willing for contracts to supply LNG to Ukraine. He said that Ukraine will become a hub of Europe.
ZELENSKIY WANT MEETING WITH TRUMP PRIOR TO US-RUSSIA TALKS. The interview is just days away from the Munich Security Conference on February 14-16, where officials of dozens Western countries will converge to discuss the war that has lasted nearly three years.
Zelenskiy announced that he would attend the forum. Keith Kellogg is expected to be present as well, Trump's Special Envoy for Russia and Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader stated that it was important to meet Trump personally before the U.S. President meets Russian president Vladimir Putin. "Otherwise, it will appear as if a dialogue is taking place about Ukraine without Ukraine".
Trump said that he expects to speak to Zelenskiy in the next week. Zelenskiy stated that his priority was to raise Ukraine's security needs as part of any agreement, in order to prevent Russia from launching another attack.
It was important that the West develop a general strategy before engaging in talks with Moscow.
Michael Waltz, Trump's national security adviser and Kellogg's team have been in regular contact with each other.
He said: "We have daily contacts and we discuss general topics, but specifics will be revealed later."
Trump's peace initiative comes at a time when Russian forces are advancing and threatening the main Ukrainian logistic hub of Pokrovsk.
Zelenskiy confirmed on the battlefield for the first-time that his troops launched a new attack Thursday, moving 2.5 km (1 mile) into Russia's Kursk Region.
The Russians reported that a Ukrainian attack had taken place in the region on this day. However, they said it was repulsed.
Zelenskiy stated that thousands of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia had returned to the active combat in Kursk, after a break of several weeks.
The government will launch lucrative recruitment contracts next week to attract young men between 18 and 24 years old - who are below the draft age – into the armed services to ease the manpower shortage. Zelenskiy refused to reveal how many men are expected to sign up. (Sergioy Karazy, Yuliia Diasa and Mike Collett White contributed additional reporting; Kevin Liffey edited the article)
(source: Reuters)
