Zelenskyy Expected to Visit Washington to Sign Economic Deal with US, Trump Announces
President Donald Trump announced that a U.S.-Ukraine economic pact focused on critical minerals is set for signing on Friday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected in Washington to finalize the deal that includes rare earths and critical minerals.
On February 25, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Zelenskyy is coming on Friday to sign the agreement, indicating that all outstanding issues have been resolved. He also mentioned that the American taxpayer will benefit from this deal.
While confirmation of the signing ceremony between the two leaders is awaited, earlier reports suggested that Kyiv has agreed to the deal as per senior Ukrainian officials speaking anonymously.
Zelenskyy had proposed an economic partnership with strategic allies, aiming to develop Ukraine’s mineral resources. The deal is part of his “victory plan”. He confirmed his intention to formalize the deal with the U.S., stressing the importance of explicit security guarantees.
In a speech in Kyiv, Zelenskyy emphasized the necessity of U.S. support to deter Russian aggression and expressed hope for the agreement to be signed. Earlier this month, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent presented a framework for the deal, which was initially rejected by Zelenskyy due to lack of security guarantees.
Bessent, in an interview, downplayed concerns about the security aspect of the deal, calling it an economic security guarantee. He emphasized that U.S. investment in Ukraine’s economic future would safeguard its stability against foreign threats.
While the reasons for Zelenskyy’s acceptance of the deal remain unclear, European allies like Poland and the UK have urged him to finalize it. They believe that American economic engagement would strengthen Washington’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, stated that the deal goes beyond minerals and will deepen ties with the U.S. As per a draft seen by the Financial Times, the agreement includes a jointly owned fund where Ukraine will contribute 50% of future proceeds from state-owned mineral resources for reinvestment.
Bessent framed the deal as a way to attract private investment, align long-term interests, foster economic growth, and stability in Ukraine without transferring ownership of physical assets.
