LONDON, England
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Sunday that his country is ready to sign a minerals deal with the United States.
“It is our policy to continue
what happened in the past. We’re constructive,” he said, adding: “If we agreed
to sign the minerals deal, we’re ready to sign it.”
Earlier, US Treasury Secretary
Scott Bessent told CBS News that a minerals deal between the US and Ukraine
could not be signed "without a peace deal" with Russia.
Asked about the future of the
agreement, as the White House is signaling the need for a compromise, Zelenskyy
told reporters at London's Stansted Airport that the minerals deal is ready for
the relevant minister’s signature.
He was also asked about French
President Emmanuel Macron’s remarks on a possible one-month truce between
Russia and Ukraine.
According to the French
newspaper Le Figaro, Macron said that he and British Prime Minister Keir
Starmer had proposed a temporary halt to hostilities "in the air, (and) at
sea."
Asked if he was aware of the
plan, Zelenskyy responded: "I'm aware of everything."
On whether he was willing to
discuss territorial concessions or express regret to US President Donald Trump
following their heated White House exchange last week, he did not directly
address the question.
Instead, he noted: "I
just want the Ukrainian position to be heard,” saying he did not want any
ambiguity.
He added that mutual
understanding was crucial, highlighting that "red lines" were not
driven by emotion but were simply a reality that must be acknowledged.
Zelenskyy also shared his
thoughts on Sunday’s meeting with world leaders in London, expressing gratitude
for the strong support Ukraine continues to receive.
"We feel strong support
for Ukraine, our people: soldiers and civilians, our independence," he
wrote on X.
“Together, we are working in
Europe to establish a solid foundation for cooperation with the United States
in pursuit of true peace and guaranteed security," he added.
Zelenskyy also highlighted
that European unity is at a high level in a way that "has not been seen
for a long time."
He added that Ukraine is
discussing with its partners security guarantees and the framework for a just
peace and that several key meetings and decisions are being planned soon.
During his sit-down with the
press earlier, Zelenskyy was asked whether Ukraine would accept the current
line of contact as its de facto new border.
He responded by emphasizing
that Sunday's discussions in London focused on initial steps and that he would
not disclose details until agreements were formalized.
He made it clear that Ukraine
would never recognize Russian-occupied territories as part of Russia.
He expressed hope that
security guarantees would make further Russian aggression “100% impossible” but
reiterated that he would only discuss specifics once Ukraine’s partners had
signed agreements.
Asked about the London summit
on Ukraine and the goals for security guarantees, Zelenskyy said the country’s
strongest security guarantee is “a strong Ukrainian army,” a view he believes
that Starmer shares.
He stressed the importance of
European allies maintaining their stance on Russia as the aggressor and
reiterated his call to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
He also affirmed that Kyiv's
relationship with Washington will continue but noted that Friday’s Oval Office
confrontation did not bring any positive or additional value to the
partnership.
Despite this, Zelenskyy
expressed confidence that the situation would pass and that future constructive
talks would yield positive results.
On calls by some US
politicians for his resignation, Zelenskyy highlighted that he would consider
stepping down only if his resignation secured Ukraine's NATO membership.
"I am exchangeable for
NATO.
"I have said that I am
exchanging for NATO membership, then it means I have fulfilled my mission. NATO
means I have fulfilled my mission," he noted.
He added, however, that
"to change me, it will not be easy, because it is not enough to simply
hold elections. You would need to prevent me from participating. And it will be
a bit more difficult."
A heated exchange took place
Friday between Zelenskyy, Trump and US Vice President JD Vance at the White
House.
Trump criticized the Ukrainian
leader's attitude during the exchange, while Zelenskyy expressed his
expectation of support for his country.
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