Trump To Sign Ukraine Minerals Deal "Shortly", Says Peace Efforts Going Well

 President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States will sign a minerals and natural resources deal with Ukraine shortly and that his efforts to achieve a peace deal for the country were going "pretty well" after his talks this week with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders.

Trump made the comments at a White House event after signing an order to increase U.S. production of critical minerals.

"We're also signing agreements in various locations to unlock rare earths and minerals and lots of other things all over the world," he said.

"But in particular Ukraine, we're doing very well with regard to Ukraine and Russia. And one of the things we are doing is signing a deal very shortly with respect to rare earths with Ukraine."

Trump referred to his discussions this week with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, which Russia invaded in 2022.

"We would love to see that come to an end, and I think we're doing pretty well in that regard," Trump said.

"So hopefully we'd save thousands of people a week from dying. That's what it's all about. They're dying so unnecessarily, and I believe we'll get it done. We'll see what happens, but I believe we'll get it done."

Ukraine and the U.S. said this month they had agreed to conclude as soon as possible a comprehensive agreement for developing Ukraine's critical mineral resources, which Trump sees as a means to pay back the United States for its assistance to Kyiv.

Efforts to seal the deal stumbled after a disastrous White House meeting between Trump and Zelenskiy at the end of last month.

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