No information was provided about Zelensky’s response to that point, and the Ukrainian leader did not mention it in his account of the conversation.
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Nor did either side mention the so-called “minerals deal”, in which the US would exploit Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as payback for previous and ongoing military support.
That deal was supposed to be signed when Zelensky visited Washington at the end of February, but it collapsed after Trump, Zelensky and Vice President J.D. Vance became engaged in a televised blow-up in the Oval Office and Zelensky was kicked out of the White House.
Trump’s current position on the minerals deal was not clear, but White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated it was no longer a pressing issue.
“We have moved beyond the economic minerals deal, we are at a place of peace, we’re at a partial ceasefire and we’re moving towards a full ceasefire and a long-standing peace in this conflict,” she said.
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Both sides characterised Wednesday’s (Thursday AEDT) call as positive, in contrast to the Oval Office disaster. The Ukrainian leader thanked Trump for his past generosity in giving them Javelin missiles and his efforts to end the war and negotiate a peace deal.
Trump “fully briefed” Zelensky on his conversation with Putin from the previous day, Rubio said. Zelensky said Ukrainian and American teams “are ready to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to continue coordinating steps toward peace”.
Ukraine and Russia have theoretically agreed to a limited 30-day ceasefire in which both sides would not strike energy infrastructure, such as oil and gas facilities. However, both countries were accused of breaking that deal within hours, with Ukraine saying power facilities were hit in Slovyansk, and Russian media reporting an oil pumping station was attacked by Ukrainian drones.
