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US national security adviser Mike Waltz said Ukrainian President Voldy Zelensky signed a critical mineral trade with the United States in a “very short term” and that the war in Ukraine will end “soon.” I agree.
“Under Trump, this war will end and soon end,” Waltz told audiences at Maryland's conservative political action meeting on Friday. “He is the president of peace.”
Donald Trump called Vladimir Putin and Zelensky last week in an opening bid to end the war. He then sent senior US officials to meet Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, but Zelensky was not invited.
Washington stripped the language from Kyiv's annual G7 declaration, portraying the Kremlin as an invader.
Ukraine is seeking security guarantees from the US and Europe to ensure peace deals continue and fair, allowing Russia to use the armistice to stop resting and refitting and resume invasion I'll do that.
Waltz claimed that Zelenskyy wanted to develop key minerals in US investments and that the Ukrainian leader would agree to a deal with Washington, but he did not provide details of the terms.
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Zelenskyy rejected the proposal presented by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during his visit to Kyiv last week, saying it was not Ukraine's greatest interest.
The agreement proposes that the United States acquire approximately 50% of its rights to Ukraine's rare earths and important minerals in exchange for past military support, and does not include offers of future support.
A senior Ukrainian official saw the proposal told the FT that Bescent had requested that Zelensky sign the deal in his presence.
Officials said they created a counterproposal last week. They said they discussed in Kiev on Thursday and Friday with Ukrainian envoy Keith Kellogg.
Zelenskyy said after his first meeting with Kellogg on Thursday evening, “suggested the fastest and most constructive way to achieve results.”
“Ukraine is ready for a strong and truly effective agreement with the US President on investment and security,” he added.
“We never said we didn't want to sign [the deal]A senior Ukrainian official said. “They don't understand that draft texts cannot violate our constitution. In fact, we're helping Trump make a real deal.”
Officials added that Kyiv is trying to negotiate “a strong transaction that does not violate our laws or the constitution and that guarantees investment and security.”
Officials with knowledge of ongoing negotiations said the US has presented improved proposals, but both sides are still working on some points.
Zelenskyy's rejection of the original US deal and subsequent war of words between him and Trump raised concerns about the strategic partnership between the two countries and future American aid.
“We want to be productive with Americans. It's not our choice to discuss,” a Ukrainian official said.
Trump this week falsely claimed that Zelensky had started the war, raising further interest on Friday, saying that the Ukrainian president would not need to be involved in negotiations to end it. Trump also labeled Zelenskyy as a “dictator” in a social media post.
“To be honest with you, I don't think it's very important for him to attend meetings,” Trump said. “When Zelenskyy said he wasn't invited to the meeting. So it wasn't a priority because he'd done such a bad job of negotiating.”
Waltz on Friday told conservative audiences outside of Washington that the US had a “duty” to American taxpayers to “recover the hundreds of millions of dollars invested in this war,” applauding from the crowd. I collected them.
He added that the US should be as well, as Europe was “frequently” repaid for its contribution to Ukraine.
“This is the bottom line. President Zelensky signs that deal. We'll see it in the very short term,” Waltz said. “That's good for Ukraine. What would you do for Ukraine than joining an economic partnership with the US? … Could Ukraine do anything better to stop the killing?”
Waltz also portrayed Trump as the director of peace. “He intends to end wars in Europe. He intends to end wars in the Middle East. He reinvests the US and our leadership in our own hemisphere, from the Arctic to the borders to Panama. I'm going to do that,” he said.
“By the end of all this, I'm going to have the Nobel Peace Prize sit next to Donald J.Trump's name,” he added.
