US President Donald Trump accused Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky of attempting to renege on a critical minerals agreement, warning of severe consequences, according to CNN.
The deal, which would grant Washington extensive access to Ukraine’s rare earth resources, has become a flashpoint in already strained bilateral relations, with Zelensky insisting the terms keep shifting and security guarantees remain absent.
Trump escalated tensions on Sunday, claiming Zelensky was “trying to back out” of the pact despite earlier agreements.
And if he does that, he’s got some problems. Big, big problems. We made a deal on rare earth and now he’s saying, ‘well, you know, I want to renegotiate the deal.’ He wants to be a member of NATO. Well, he was never going to be a member of NATO. He understands that. So if he’s looking to renegotiate the deal, he’s got big problems.
Ukraine, however, argues the US unilaterally altered the deal’s structure. Initially, both sides agreed to a “framework” requiring parliamentary ratification, but Washington later demanded immediate signing of a “full agreement,” one that would hand the US majority control over a joint investment fund managing Ukraine’s minerals, oil, and gas.
Zelensky has signalled openness to cooperation but stressed that any deal must not compromise Ukraine’s EU membership bid or leave it vulnerable to Russia.
Nothing that could threaten Ukraine’s accession to the EU can be accepted.
Meanwhile, critics compare the terms of the deal to economic colonisation. The proposed fund’s board would comprise three US-appointed members versus two from Ukraine, effectively granting Washington veto power over resource sales. This includes potential restrictions on exports to China or Europe.
The standoff unfolds alongside parallel US-Russia talks on rare earth metals and revived gas flows to Europe via Ukraine’s pipelines, a move analysts say could marginalise Kyiv’s leverage. Trump, meanwhile, has threatened “secondary tariffs” on Russian oil if Moscow obstructs a ceasefire by his suggested 20 April deadline, floated during a meeting with Finland’s president.
After a meeting between Trump and Finnish President Alexander Stubb in Florida, Stubb told reporters that Trump’s patience was running out.
April 20 would be a good time for a full ceasefire without any conditions… Because a deadline is needed, because it is Easter and because President Donald Trump will have been in office for three months.
Trump also tempered his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The US leader is rushing progress on ending the war in Ukraine to allegedly mark his 100 days in power with significant geopolitical successes.
