Zelensky Says He’s Ready to Sign ‘Minerals Deal’ After White House Debacle

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that he is prepared to finalize an agreement with the White House, granting the United States access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals. This announcement came only hours after a heated exchange aired live between Zelensky, President Donald Trump, and Vice President JD Vance earlier on Friday.

“We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees. But it’s not enough, and we need more than just that. A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine. We’ve been fighting for 3 years, and Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side,” Zelensky stated in a post on X.

“I cannot change Ukraine’s position on Russia. The Russians are killing us. Russia is the enemy, and that’s the reality we face. Ukraine wants peace, but it must be a just and lasting peace. For that, we need to be strong at the negotiation table. Peace can only come when we know we have security guarantees, when our army is strong, and our partners are with us,” he continued.

“We want peace. That’s why I came to the United States, and visited President Trump. The deal on minerals is just a first step toward security guarantees and getting closer to peace. Our situation is tough, but we can’t just stop fighting and not having guarantees that Putin will not return tomorrow,” the Ukrainian leader added.

“It will be difficult without the U.S. support. But we can’t lose our will, our freedom, or our people. We’ve seen how Russians came to our homes and killed many people. Nobody wants another wave of occupation. If we cannot be accepted to NATO, we need some clear structure of security guarantees from our allies in the U.S.,” Zelensky emphasized. “American people helped save our people. Humans and human rights come first. We’re truly thankful. We want only strong relations with America, and I really hope we will have them.”

President Trump also responded on Truth Social, offering his own take on the tense situation. He made it clear Zelensky would be invited back to the White House once the Ukrainian leader is ready to talk about “peace.”

“We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations,” Trump wrote. “I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”

Later that evening, Zelensky joined Fox News anchor Bret Baier for an interview, where they addressed growing calls from some American officials urging him to resign.

“So [Sen. Lindsey Graham] says you need to consider resigning. Is that on the table?” Baier asked, speaking directly to the visibly somber Ukrainian president.

“I don’t know if he will be happy after my words. This decision can do only people of Ukraine,” Zelensky replied, making it clear that only Ukrainian citizens could decide his political fate through elections.

“You’re not going to step down to do a peace deal?” Baier followed up.

“No, I was always ready. I’m not sure that it’s a good idea for such proposals. But anyway, I always said if the United States will support NATO, I think that it’s enough for Ukraine,” Zelensky answered.