Ceasefire will not be possible without security guarantees for Ukraine - Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that there will be no ceasefire in Ukraine without security guarantees for our country from the United States and its allies.
He said this during his press conference, Censor.NET reports.
"I will not agree to 10 cents of debt repayment in this agreement, otherwise it is a precedent. We are grateful and, as I said, in the next agreement, which this agreement opens up, where we can talk more substantively about security guarantees or specific amounts, how the fund will be managed, etc. We are ready to talk, if this is a condition, that further assistance to Ukraine will not be free, this is a new reality. Everyone understands the conditions we are in, we are at war. If I am told that we are continuing to help, we are giving you weapons worth 30 billion, you have to return something to us. They will say we will return it, because we will need this help," the president said.
Zelenskyy noted that between the first step (the framework agreement - ed.) and the second (the fund - ed.) step, Ukraine must understand where it stands in terms of partnership with the United States.
"That's why I think our meeting with Trump is important. We must all understand that there will not be a simple ceasefire, and Ukraine will not have security guarantees, it will not be like that. The war must end so that everyone is sure that it will not start again tomorrow," the president emphasized.
Minerals deal with the US
As a reminder, Trump has said he wants to sign a $500 billion deal with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on access to rare earth resources and natural gas in Ukraine in exchange for security guarantees in any potential peace settlement.
President Zelenskyy said that the agreement with the US on minerals would be signed at the ministerial level when ready and subject to guarantees. Currently, this document is not ready to protect Ukraine's interest.
Later, Trump said that Ukraine had derailed the rare earth metals deal. The agreement was needed so that the United States could recover the money spent on supporting Ukraine.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has handed over to Ukraine an "improved" draft of the minerals agreement that "complies with Ukrainian law."
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that if the United States wants to see specific figures in the minerals agreement, then according to Ukrainian law, ratification by the Verkhovna Rada will be required.
On February 25, the Financial Times reports that Ukraine and the United States have agreed on the terms of the minerals agreement, and Kyiv is ready to sign the document.
On February 26, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine and the United States had agreed on a framework agreement on minerals.
