Associated Press
President Donald Trump says Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the White House on Friday to sign a critical minerals deal.
Trump made the announcement Wednesday at start of his first Cabinet meeting.
A full agreement could hinge on talks scheduled to take place in Washington as early as Friday, Zelenskyy said during a news conference in Kyiv.
The framework of an economic deal with the United States is ready, Zelenskyy said Wednesday, but it does not yet offer U.S. security guarantees that Kyiv views as vital for its war against the Russian invasion.
The agreed-upon framework is a preliminary step toward a comprehensive package that will be subject to ratification by the Ukrainian parliament, Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine needs to know first where the United States stands on its continued military support, Zelenskyy said. He said he expects to have a wide-ranging conversation with President Trump during the visit to Washington.
The economic agreement “may be part of future security guarantees, but I want to understand the broader vision. What awaits Ukraine?” Zelensky said.
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Republished with permission from The Associated Press.
