BBC Quotes Trump, With Ukrainian Mineral Agreement Wins Right to Continue War

“We have really agreed to a number of good amendments and see it as a positive result”, the official said, without providing further details, the Express broadcasts.

Media reports say Washington has given up initial demands for the right to $500 billion (in potential revenues from natural resources use but has failed to provide strong security guarantees to war-torn Ukraine a key request from Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump said he expected his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington to sign the agreement this week after the two leaders exchanged strong words for each other.

Without confirming that an agreement had been reached, Trump said Tuesday that in exchange for the Ukrainian agreement, Ukraine would receive the “right to fight”.

“They are very brave”, he told reporters, but “pa the United States and its money. [Getty Images] The US and its military equipment, this war would have ended in a very short time period of”.

Asked whether American equipment and ammunition supplies in Ukraine would continue, he said: “maybe until we have an agreement with Russia... We have to have a deal, otherwise it's going to continue”.

There would be a need for “a form of peacekeeping” in Ukraine after any peace agreement, Trump added, but this would have to be “acceptable to all”.

Ukraine has deposits of rare elements and minerals, including lithium and titan, as well as considerable deposits of coal, gas, oil and uranium worth billions of dollars.

Trump claims that this deal would ensure the US receives more than it had spent on Ukraine, but more details are said to be agreed on.

According to a source in Ukraine's presidential office, what has been agreed on at this stage are the initial conditions of an agreement involving the country's critical Generals and other sources.

The “Agreement settings are much better for Ukraine now”.

Reports say a joint-owned fund would be established, which will be used to rebuild Ukraine's infrastructure and economy. Ukraine will contribute 50% of future revenues from state mineral, oil and gas sources and will then invest in projects in Ukraine itself.

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanisyna, who has led the negotiations, told the Financial Times that the agreement was “part of a larger” picture.

In a hostile setting where Washington appears to be approaching Moscow, it is hoped this agreement will pave the way for more co-operation between Kiev and its once-greatest ally.

“Ukrainian is just the beginning. Wait for Trump and his foreign policy team to apply their principles “America first” worldwide over the next four years”.