Washington:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plans to travel to Washington on Friday to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump after officials agree to a deal on the terms of the draft mineral agreement, two people familiar with the matter said Tuesday express.
The White House declined to comment.
The mineral deal is at the heart of Kiev’s efforts to win our support as Trump tries to quickly end the war with Russia. Trump and Zelensky exchanged hostile words last week.
Trump calls Zelensky an unpopular “dictator” who needs to cut a quick peace deal or lose his country, while Ukrainian leaders say the U.S. president lives in a “false information bubble.”
One of the sources who asked to discuss sensitive matters anonymously told Reuters that the White House proposed the visit.
Sources said officials from both sides agreed to the draft and suggested it should be signed.
The deal could open up Ukraine’s huge mineral wealth to the United States, and Trump sought hundreds of millions of dollars to repay Washington’s support.
Another source familiar with the matter said Zelensky may meet with members on Capitol Hill, but the timeline of the visit remains unfavorable.
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