Zelensky ready to sign minerals agreement: 'But Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is ready to sign the minerals deal after the controversial meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House. However, he insisted it is not enough and needs something more.

"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", Zelensky said on his X account.

"We are very grateful to the United States for all the support. I’m thankful to President Trump, Congress for their bipartisan support, and American people. Ukrainians have always appreciated this support, especially during these three years of full-scale invasion," he added.

He further noted that despite the tension in the Oval Office on Friday, Ukraine and the United States "remain strategic partners. But we need to be honest and direct with each other to truly understand our shared goals."

In this regard, the Ukrainian president maintained that he cannot change Ukraine's position vis-à-vis Russia. He further emphasized that the "Russians are killing us."

"Russia is the enemy, and that’s the reality we face. Ukraine wants peace, but it must be a just and lasting peace. For that, we need to be strong at the negotiation table. Peace can only come when we know we have security guarantees, when our army is strong, and our partners are with us," Zelensky stressed.

Zelensky's messages came this Saturday and after an interview on Fox News in which he lamented the situation in the Oval Office, but did not apologize to Trump.

"Europe is ready for contingencies and to help fund our large army. We also need the US role in defining security guarantees—what kind, what volume, and when. Once these guarantees are in place, we can talk with Russia, Europe, and the US about diplomacy. War alone is too long, and we don’t have enough weapons to push them out entirely," he stressed.