Ukraine Rejects U.S. Mineral Deal Amid Diplomatic Turmoil
Zelenskyy says the draft deal lacks security guarantees; U.S. and Russia meet in Riyadh as Macron convenes European crisis talks.
On day 1,090 of Russia’s invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pushed back against Donald Trump’s initial attempt to secure Ukraine’s critical mineral deposits as a way to repay the billions of dollars the U.S. has spent supporting Kyiv. Speaking on Meet the Press, Zelenskyy made clear that any economic agreement must include security provisions.
“Help us defend this, and we will make money on it together,” Zelenskyy said. “But the document must include security guarantees. If the United States does not provide those guarantees, the economic treaty will not work. It must be fair.”
The proposed deal, presented last week by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, reportedly included a U.S. claim to 50% of Ukraine’s critical minerals, including rare earth elements, titanium, uranium, and lithium, according to three sources cited by Reuters. Zelenskyy also highlighted the challenge of mineral-rich territories currently occupied by Russia.
“The second part that isn’t being discussed, but must be, is what Putin has captured,” he said. “What do we do with those resources worth hundreds of billions? Are we just handing them over to him? This needs to be addressed.”
Diplomatic Moves: U.S.-Russia Talks in Riyadh, Macron’s European Response
In a flurry of diplomatic activity, U.S. officials led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia on Monday for preliminary ceasefire discussions. In response, French President Emmanuel Macron will host a summit in Paris with European defense leaders, aiming to counter the U.S. exclusion of Europe and Kyiv from negotiations.
This will be the first high-level U.S.-Russia meeting in more than two years, as Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov prepare to discuss potential pathways to ending the war. Speaking to CBS, Rubio attempted to ease European concerns, stating that any “real negotiations” must include both Ukraine and European allies.
“Ultimately, Ukraine must be involved because they were invaded, and Europe must be involved because of their sanctions on Russia,” Rubio said. “We’re just not there yet.”
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has also traveled to the Middle East, arriving in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday to discuss prisoner exchanges with Russia. A Ukrainian delegation is already in Saudi Arabia, reportedly preparing for a possible visit by Zelenskyy, though it remains unclear whether he will attend the U.S.-Russia talks.
Battlefield Update: Ukraine Slows Russian Advance
On the ground, Ukraine's forces have recaptured the village of Pischane, southwest of Pokrovsk, signaling a slowdown in Russia’s recent offensive. After making rapid territorial gains in December and January, Russian troops struggled in February.
Russian military bloggers report that Ukrainian drones now dominate the battlefield, systematically targeting Russian armored vehicles. With supply lines disrupted, Russian soldiers are reportedly being forced to march 10 kilometers on foot, with many failing to reach their destination alive.
At the same time, Ukraine’s air defense forces worked overnight to repel a large-scale Russian drone attack on Kyiv. “Please stay safe,” urged military administration chief Timur Tkachenko in a statement on Monday.
In Moldova, officials reported that two Russian drones violated their airspace late Sunday, just days after summoning the Russian ambassador over a similar incident.
Russia’s defense ministry, meanwhile, claimed to have destroyed 90 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 38 over the Sea of Azov, 24 in Russia’s Krasnodar region, and several over Crimea—Ukrainian territory illegally occupied by Russia. These claims could not be independently verified.
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