In a significant move for his nation, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet with President Donald Trump in Washington today.
The meeting comes at a crucial juncture for Ukraine, as Zelenskyy aims to secure U.S. support to safeguard his country against potential future Russian aggression.
As reported by The Associated Press, Zelenskyy's delegation is anticipated to sign a historic economic agreement with the U.S. during their visit. This agreement, aimed at funding the reconstruction of war-torn Ukraine, would forge a close bond between the two nations for years to come. The deal, seen as a stride towards ending the three-year conflict, acknowledges the significance of Ukraine's security but leaves the specifics to a separate agreement to be discussed between the two leaders, likely starting Friday.
As Ukraine's forces resist the gradual advances of Russia's larger and better-equipped army, Kyiv's leaders are advocating for a potential U.S.-mediated peace plan that includes guarantees for the country's future security. There is a widespread fear among Ukrainians that a hastily negotiated peace, particularly one that concedes too much to Russian demands, would enable Moscow to rearm and consolidate its forces for a future invasion once the current hostilities cease.
The preliminary economic agreement, as seen by The Associated Press, outlines the establishment of a co-owned, jointly managed investment fund. Ukraine will contribute 50% of future revenues from natural resources, including minerals, hydrocarbons, and other extractable materials, to this fund. A more detailed agreement on the fund's establishment will be drafted once the preliminary one is signed.
President Trump, a Republican, views the emerging deal as an opportunity for Kyiv to compensate the U.S. for wartime aid sent under his predecessor, President Joe Biden, a Democrat. However, Zelenskyy insists that specific assurances for Ukraine's security must accompany any agreement granting U.S. access to Ukraine's resources. He stated on Wednesday that the agreement "may be part of future security guarantees, but I want to understand the broader vision. What awaits Ukraine?"
Trump remains noncommittal about any American security guarantees. He told reporters this week, "I'm not going to make security guarantees ... very much. We're going to have Europe do that."
If a ceasefire can be achieved, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to deploy troops for a potential peacekeeping mission to Ukraine. This is to ensure that the conflict between Ukraine and Russia does not reignite. Both leaders visited Washington this week, prior to Zelenskyy's visit, to discuss the potential peacekeeping mission and other war-related concerns with Trump.
White House officials, however, are doubtful that Britain and France can currently muster enough troops from across Europe to deploy a credible peacekeeping mission to Kyiv. A senior Trump administration official, who briefed reporters anonymously under White House-set ground rules, stated that a "consensual peace settlement" between Russia and Ukraine would likely be required before many nations would be willing to provide such forces.
Zelenskyy and European officials harbor no illusions about U.S. troops participating in such a mission. However, Starmer and others are attempting to argue that the plan can only succeed with a U.S. backstop for European forces on the ground. This would involve U.S. aerial intelligence, surveillance, and support, as well as rapid-response cover in case the truce is breached.
Starmer told Trump, "You've created a moment of tremendous opportunity to reach a historic peace deal a deal that I think would be celebrated in Ukraine and around the world. That is the prize. But we have to get it right."
Zelenskyy has been ambiguous about what kind of security guarantees would be suitable for his country. While he continues to advocate for Ukraine's eventual membership in NATO, he has also suggested that a similar security arrangement would suffice. However, Trump stated on Wednesday that Ukraine "could forget about" joining the Western military alliance.
Despite this, Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump, their first since the U.S. leader's inauguration in January, is viewed in Kyiv as a diplomatic victory for Ukraine. Zelenskyy stated on Wednesday that being able to meet personally with Trump before Russian President Vladimir Putin does "is a good signal."
Zelenskyy hopes to discuss whether the U.S. plans to halt its military aid to Ukraine and, if so, whether Kyiv would be able to purchase weapons directly from the U.S. He also wants to know whether Ukraine can use frozen Russian assets for the purchase of weapons and whether Washington plans to lift sanctions on Moscow.
Concerns that Trump could broker a peace deal with Russia that is unfavorable to Ukraine have been heightened by recent actions by his administration that break with precedent. Trump held a lengthy phone call with Putin, and U.S. officials met with their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia without inviting European or Ukrainian leaders both dramatic breaks with previous U.S. policy to isolate Putin over his invasion.
Trump later seemed to falsely blame Ukraine for starting the war and called Zelenskyy a "dictator" for not holding elections after the end of his regular term last year, even though Ukrainian law prohibits elections while martial law is in place.
As Zelenskyy seeks to ease tensions with the U.S. during his visit to Washington, American officials suggest that the economic deal, if implemented, would provide a measure of security to Ukraine through the presence of U.S. investments on its territory. Trump stated on Wednesday that the U.S. working on mineral extraction in Ukraine would amount to "automatic security because nobody's going to be messing around with our people when we're there."
The economic agreement's text echoes this perspective, stating that the U.S. "supports Ukraine's efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace." It continues, stating that Washington has "a long-term financial commitment to the development of a stable and economically prosperous Ukraine." This commitment, if upheld, could serve as a significant step towards ensuring Ukraine's security and prosperity in the face of potential future threats.
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