Trump warns Zelensky: Renegotiation could spark big trouble
Donald Trump warned Volodymyr Zelensky about "big problems" if he withdraws from the resource agreement. The U.S. President also expressed belief in Vladimir Putin's good intentions.
During a conversation with journalists aboard Air Force One, Donald Trump addressed the situation regarding the resource agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine. The President warned Volodymyr Zelensky that withdrawing from this deal could cause "big problems." According to Trump, Zelensky is attempting to renegotiate the agreement concerning the exploitation of Ukrainian mineral resources.
We made a deal on rare earth, and now he's saying, well, you know, I want to renegotiate the deal. He wants to be a member of NATO. Well, he was never going to be a member of NATO. He understands that. So if he's looking to renegotiate the deal, he's got big problems - warned Trump.
This agreement involves rare earth metals, and its renegotiation could affect Ukraine's relations with NATO. At the same time, Trump emphasized that despite previous tensions, he still believes in Vladimir Putin's good intentions.
No, I don't think so. I don't think he's going to go back on his word. You're talking about Putin. I don't think he's going to go back on his word. I've known him for a long time. We've always gotten along well, despite the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax - said Trump, highlighting that his belief in the Russian leader has not been shaken even by the "Russiagate" scandal from his first term.
Controversies surrounding the agreement
As reported by the Financial Times and Bloomberg, the United States demanded the renegotiation of the agreement, which, in its new version, would give the U.S. broad control over the exploitation of Ukrainian deposits. Ukraine is concerned that the current form of the document might threaten its integration with the European Union.
According to Bloomberg, the agreement suggests that Ukraine would have to return the value of financial and military aid it received from the U.S. since the start of the Russian invasion. This further complicates the situation, with Kyiv trying to balance various international commitments.
