Zelenskys Push for Trump Talks Amid Escalating Russian Attacks in Ukraine
On Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his intention to travel to Washington this week for a meeting with Donald Trump to discuss future U.S. support for Ukraine and a contentious mineral deal that has recently heightened tensions between the two leaders.
Zelensky, facing increasing demands from U.S. officials to finalize the agreement, informed reporters, including those from AFP, that Ukrainian and U.S. representatives were coordinating to secure a meeting with Trump in Washington scheduled for Friday.
Following the U.S. visit, he mentioned he would engage in discussions with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other European leaders in Britain over the weekend.
His remarks regarding the minerals deal and his upcoming trip came just after a Russian artillery attack claimed the lives of at least five individuals in Ukraine’s eastern conflict zones, while a drone strike resulted in two additional fatalities near Kyiv, one of whom was a Ukrainian journalist.
The negotiations surrounding the minerals agreement, which would provide the U.S. with preferential access to Ukrainian natural resources in return for U.S. support, have been complex and challenging. Officials announced late Tuesday that they had reached a preliminary agreement after lengthy talks, but Zelensky conveyed to reporters in Kyiv that more intricate negotiations remain.
«This marks the beginning; it’s a framework agreement,» he stated to the press.
Further discussions between officials from both countries will help define the nature of the security guarantees for Ukraine and clarify the financial stakes involved in the accords.
«Assurances of peace and security are crucial for preventing Russia from jeopardizing the lives of other nations,» Zelensky emphasized in his evening video address.
Nevertheless, Trump previously downplayed Ukraine’s ambitions to join the Atlantic defense alliance, remarking, «You can forget about NATO.»
«I believe that’s likely the reason everything commenced,» he added, alluding to the ongoing war.
Zelensky had cautioned that the «deal could either flourish or fade away,» pointing out that its success hinges on his conversation with President Trump. «We will draw conclusions afterward,» he said.
Zelensky’s refusal to sign an initial draft of the agreement presented in Kyiv by the U.S. Treasury Secretary provoked frustration from Trump, who subsequently labeled the Ukrainian leader a «dictator.»
Additionally, the Kremlin has sought to court Trump, praising him and promoting American investments in natural resources in territories of Ukraine controlled by Russian forces.
On Thursday, Russian and U.S. diplomats are scheduled to meet in Istanbul to address issues relating to their embassies, as the two nations experience a thaw in their strained relations.
Yet, both Moscow and Kyiv have intensified aerial strikes on each other’s military and energy installations, even as Trump advocates for a resolution to the conflict that began over three years ago.
In Kyiv, AFP journalists reported hearing explosions after Russia conducted a drone strike, which the Ukrainian Air Force later identified as involving 177 drones targeting various regions across the nation.
The Ukrinform news agency reported that its journalist, Tetiana Kulyk, was among those killed in the attack. «Her untimely death has devastated her colleagues and represents a significant loss for the agency,» they stated.
According to the university where Kulyk’s husband worked, he was likely at home with her during the strike, and authorities later discovered a second body.
Furthermore, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, announced damage to one of its facilities in the Dnipropetrovsk region, although they did not provide further details.
On the ground, Russian forces have been advancing towards the town of Kostyantynivka, vigorously bombarding this civilian center in the eastern Donetsk region, which the Kremlin claims as Russian territory.
Regional officials reported five fatalities and eleven injuries from the latest strikes executed by Russia, which boasts a larger and better-equipped military along the expansive front lines.
Conversely, Ukraine announced a successful counteroffensive in the Donetsk region, regaining control of the village of Kotlyne, situated near a crucial transit route and the logistics hub of Pokrovsk.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported separately that its troops had secured control over two villages in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces had launched a surprise offensive in August of the preceding year.
Kyiv has ramped up air strikes against both military and energy targets within Russian territory in recent months, which it describes as a countermeasure to Moscow’s bombardments of its cities and energy infrastructure.
Drone strikes were launched overnight targeting the Russian regions of Bryansk and Kursk, according to the Ministry.
Thus far, no significant damage has been reported by Russian media or authorities.