President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is "ready to sign" a minerals deal with the United States, just days after a tense meeting in the White House.
The Ukrainian President said he "just want[ed] the Ukrainian position to be heard" when he was questioned about the meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Trump told Zelensky in the Oval Office: "You're gambling with millions of people… You're gambling with World War Three" urging him to accept the mineral deal.
The deal allegedly involves no security guarantees by the US to Ukraine, which has been a key demand by the war-torn country so far.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking in London
Reuters
A meeting between Zelensky, Trump and Vance ended in chaos
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Zelensky told a press conference in London yesterday: "If we agreed to sign the minerals deal, we're ready to sign it. The agreement that's on the table will be signed if the parties are ready."
It comes as JD Vance accused the Ukrainian President of being "disrespectful" saying he had not been thankful enough for US military aid.
Speaking in his nightly address to the nation after his meeting with European leaders in London yesterday, Zelensky said: "There will be diplomacy for the sake of peace. And for the sake of us all being together - Ukraine, all of Europe and definitely, definitely America.
"Of course, we are aware of the importance of America, and we are grateful for all the support we have received from the United States of America. There has not been a day when we have not felt this gratitude."
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Zelensky has been in London to discuss the US and Russia
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French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot
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This morning, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said a truce on air, sea and energy would enable the US to verify whether Russia is willing to end war with Ukraine, adding that dialogue between Trump and Zelensky could be "re-engaged."
It comes as armed forces minister Luke Pollard downplayed claims a one-month truce plan for Ukraine has been agreed by France and Britain after President Emmanuel Macron was reported to have said such a plan had been proposed by the two countries.
French President Emmanuel Macron had said France and Britain are proposing a partial one-month truce between Russia and Ukraine that would not cover ground fighting.
Pollard told Times Radio this morning: "No agreement has been made on what a truce looks like, and so I don’t recognise the precise part you mentioned there. But we are working together with France and our European allies to look at what is the path to how… we create a lasting and durable peace in Ukraine."
Starmer announced a multi-billion-pound financing deal for the defence of Ukraine on SundayPAMeanwhile, leading Republicans have called on Zelensky to resign following the White House meeting. Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, said it was not clear to the administration that Zelensky was ready to negotiate an end of the war.
Waltz underscored Trump's goal for a permanent peace between Moscow and Kyiv involving territorial concessions in exchange for European-led security guarantees.
Asked whether Trump wanted Zelensky to resign, Waltz told CNN: "We need a leader that can deal with us, eventually deal with the Russians and end this war. If it becomes apparent that President Zelensky's either personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting in his country, then I think we have a real issue on our hands."
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a key Trump ally and also an advocate for Ukraine, questioned whether the United States could still work with Zelensky following the White House clash in remarks to reporters on Friday.
