Trump warns Zelensky: Renegotiation may sink NATO hopes
Donald Trump warned Volodymyr Zelensky about "big problems" if he withdraws from the resource agreement. The US 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 US and Ukraine. The US President warned Volodymyr Zelensky that withdrawing from this deal could bring "big problems." According to Trump, Zelensky is trying to renegotiate the agreement concerning exploiting Ukrainian mineral resources.
He 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. He's trying to back out of the rare earth deal and if he does that, he's got some problems, big, big problems - warned Trump.
This agreement concerns rare earth metals, and its renegotiation could affect Ukraine's relations with NATO. Simultaneously, Trump emphasised 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 - said Trump, highlighting that his belief in the Russian leader has not been changed 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 US 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 US since the start of the Russian invasion. This further complicates the situation, as Kyiv is trying to balance various international commitments.
