U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that security guarantees for Ukraine will come from Europe, not the United States. His remarks came during his first cabinet meeting when asked whether a U.S.-Ukraine minerals agreement would include security assurances for Kyiv.
On Tuesday, officials from both countries announced a draft agreement granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare mineral resources. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that security guarantees remain a crucial issue for Kyiv. He is scheduled to visit Washington on Friday for further discussions with Trump.
Trump confirmed Zelenskyy’s visit but reiterated that the U.S. would not provide extensive security commitments. “I won’t give broad security guarantees; we will ask Europe to handle that,” Trump said.
A leaked draft of the minerals agreement, reviewed by Reuters, states that the U.S. supports Ukraine’s efforts to secure the necessary security guarantees for lasting peace. The deal is part of Trump’s broader strategy to expedite an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Trump has also proposed that Ukraine use its natural resources to repay the billions of dollars in military aid it has received from Washington. The agreement, set to be signed on February 28, outlines a joint U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund to manage revenue from Ukraine’s natural resources, including minerals and hydrocarbons.
Moscow has rejected the idea of NATO peacekeeping troops in Ukraine, while Zelenskyy previously declined an earlier U.S. proposal, which reportedly demanded $500 billion worth of Ukraine’s resources without offering security guarantees.
Ukraine possesses 22 of the 34 critical minerals identified by the European Union, including large graphite reserves crucial for electric vehicle batteries and nuclear reactors.
