Trump, Zelenskyy mull arms for minerals deal: report
09 Feb 2025
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reported to be open for a deal with US President Donald Trump that would allow the United States to exploit rare minerals in Ukraine against material support to its war with Russia.
Trump had, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, proposed the idea of Ukraine supplying rare minerals to US in return for supply of arms to support Ukraine’s war against Russia.
Zelenskyy is now reported to have expressed willingness to let US exploit the vast mineral reserves of Ukraine in return for financial and material support to its war with Russia.
President Trump, who had promised to help broker an end to the war in Ukraine on his return to the White House, seems to have realised the difficulties involved amidst changing negotiating positions of Putin and Zelenskyy.
With European leaders backing out of supporting the Ukraine-Russia war, Zelenskyy appeared to seek support from Trump by citing Europe’s failure to invest enough for his country’s defence Ukrainian President Zelenskyy also warned Europe that it cannot stand against Russia in a possible war without help from Ukraine.
However, he said later that a 200,000-strong European peacekeeping force would be required to deter Russia from attacking again in the wake of a settlement.
Perhaps, Zelenskyy was pointing to Ukrain’s entry in NATO, which he finds to be the only way to prevent Russian attack on Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also raised the bogey of North Korean troops fighting for Russia to demand active NATO involvement in the war with Russia.
Zelenskyy is also banking on the Russian territory Ukraine seized during the Kursk offensive as a negotiating instrument, in any talks with Moscow.
The Ukrainian president, meanwhile, offered to hand over two captured North Korean soldiers to Pyongyang in exchange for Ukrainian personnel taken as prisoners by Russian forces.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) also alleged deceit as the Korean troops are brought for undergoing training, and not for battlefield operations. Also, these soldiers fight with false identity, it was pointed out.
