Following a tense meeting with US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed Ukraine's readiness to sign a minerals agreement with the United States, while emphasizing the need for broader security guarantees. In a social media post, Zelenskyy stated, "We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees. But it's not enough, and we need more than just that. A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine. We've been fighting for 3 years, and Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side."12

Zelenskyy also expressed gratitude for American support, saying, "We are very grateful to the United States for all the support. I'm thankful to President Trump, Congress for their bipartisan support, and the American people. Ukrainians have always appreciated this support, especially during these three years of full-scale invasion." He further added, "America's help has been vital in helping us survive, and I want to acknowledge that. Despite the tough dialogue, we remain strategic partners. But we need to be honest and direct with each other to truly understand our shared goals."13 These statements underscore Ukraine's commitment to maintaining a strong partnership with the US while advocating for its security needs.

The meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House ended abruptly after a heated exchange in the Oval Office. Trump announced that peace negotiations would be paused, stating, "I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations."1 The encounter led to the cancellation of a scheduled joint press conference and the postponement of a minerals deal signing.

Trump emphasized his desire for peace, not advantage, and criticized Zelenskyy for disrespecting the United States in the Oval Office. He concluded by saying, "He can come back when he is ready for Peace."1 Despite the tense outcome, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the U.S. for its support and reiterated Ukraine's commitment to achieving a "just and lasting peace."1 The incident has cast uncertainty over U.S.-Ukraine relations, with both sides now reassessing their positions in the ongoing peace negotiations.

The Reconstruction Investment Fund (RIF) is a key component of the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal, designed to support Ukraine's economic recovery and strengthen bilateral ties. Here are the main details of the RIF:

• Joint ownership: The fund will be jointly controlled by the United States and Ukraine12.

• Revenue contribution: Ukraine will contribute 50% of all revenues earned from future monetization of government-owned natural resource assets into the fund1.

• Resource scope: The fund includes minerals deposits, oil, natural gas, and relevant infrastructure, but excludes existing revenue sources like Naftogaz and Ukrnafta operations1.

• No security guarantee: The agreement does not include an explicit security guarantee for Ukraine from the United States13.

• Support for security efforts: The deal includes language stating that the U.S. "supports Ukraine's efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace"34.

While the RIF represents a significant economic partnership, the absence of concrete security guarantees remains a point of contention in ongoing negotiations between the two countries13.

The recent diplomatic engagement between Russia and the United States marks a significant shift in their relations, with both nations taking steps towards improving bilateral ties. On February 27, 2025, Russian and U.S. delegations held six hours of talks in Istanbul, Turkey, focusing on addressing issues related to the operations of their embassies in Washington and Moscow.1

Key points from the talks and recent developments include:

• The discussions were limited in scope and did not include Ukraine or any political or security topics.1

• The meeting was seen as a test of both nations' commitment to repairing their relationship and working towards ending the ongoing conflict.1

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the talks would focus on improving conditions for diplomats in both countries.1

• Putin moderated expectations for quick progress, emphasizing the need to rebuild trust between Russia and the United States.1

• Washington described Thursday's talks as constructive.1

On February 22, 2025, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov announced that preparations for a face-to-face meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were already underway. Ryabkov indicated that U.S. and Russian delegates may hold meetings over the next two weeks to prepare for the Trump-Putin talks.2