Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his team was working with US counterparts to coordinate with Donald Trump’s administration, after the US president suggested earlier on Friday he would be willing to meet.
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In a post to Telegram, Zelensky said that he valued cooperation with Trump and that Ukrainian and American teams are working out details. Separately, Zelensky said in an interview that he was willing to make a deal to secure more US backing in exchange for some of Ukraine’s rare earths and other minerals.
“If we are talking about a deal, then let’s do a deal, we are only for it,” Zelensky told Reuters, adding that he was interested in cultivating a partnership with the US rather than giving resources away. The US and Ukraine have discussed storing US liquefied natural gas in underground Ukrainian gas storage sites, Zelensky added.
“The Americans helped the most, and therefore the Americans should earn the most,” he said.
Taken as a whole, Zelensky’s efforts indicated an eagerness to pounce after Trump told reporters on Friday that he would be game to meet – even if the US president’s sincerity was unclear.
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Trump, meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday, was asked by a reporter if he would help coordinate a meeting between Zelensky and US Vice-President J.D. Vance, who is travelling to Europe for summits in Paris and Munich next week.
Trump seemed to mishear the question, and responded by saying that he himself “will probably be meeting with President Zelensky next week”.