Ukraine-US mineral talks went on all night – Axios

US and Ukrainian officials negotiated an agreement on Ukrainian mineral resources throughout the night until Friday morning.

Source: Axios, citing sources familiar with the matter, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Trump administration officials and some representatives of the Ukrainian government are pressuring President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make a deal.

The sources said the decision is now up to Zelenskyy. They both expressed concern that the US-Ukraine crisis could deepen if he rejects the offer. A US official called it a make or break scenario for the Ukrainians.

Zelenskyy rejected an initial US offer presented by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Kyiv that would have given the US 50% of all production revenues. Zelenskyy had concerns about some provisions of the deal and the fact that it did not include any security guarantees for Ukraine.

Earlier this week, the US side came back with an "improved" proposal and has now made additional changes. The exact terms of the current US offer are not known.

The Trump administration sent the latest version of the mineral agreement to Ukraine on Thursday evening, a US official involved in the negotiations and a source with direct access to the information told Axios.

The US official said the amended version is aimed at "fixing the situation" between the US and Ukraine and reported that Trump had authorised a member of the US government – not Bessent – to make the new offer.

Background:

• US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg, who is still in Kyiv, tweeted on Friday that he had had a "long and busy day with Ukraine's senior leadership" and "extensive and positive discussions" with Zelenskyy. He called Zelenskyy "the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war".
• Kellogg’s words are in stark contrast to Trump's characterisation of Zelenskyy, whom Trump called a "Dictator without Elections".

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!