Zelenskyy urges Donald Trump for clarity on US support to Ukraine: 'Will the United States stop support or not?'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday (February 26) that his upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump is a "very good signal" as he prepares to visit Washington on Friday (February 28) to sign an initial deal on mineral rights.

“I have questions, and we very [much] need answers, very honest answers, because we are at war, and we have to understand on what we can count,” Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv. “And that’s why this visit before Putin is a very good signal.”

Key questions on US support

Zelenskyy said he plans to ask Trump direct questions about continued US support for Ukraine, which is fighting against Russian aggression.

“Will the United States stop support or not? If it’s not [free] aid, can we buy weapons directly from the United States? Can we work with frozen [Russian] assets for buying weapons, for example?” he said.

Minerals deal expected to be signed

A memorandum establishing the terms of a minerals deal between the US and Ukraine could be signed as early as Friday. A second agreement will be needed in the future to create a sovereign fund, with proceeds shared between Washington and Kyiv.

Zelenskyy confirmed he was willing to sign the deal after negotiators assured him it would not be considered debt repayment.

“I will not agree to even 10 cents [of debt],” Zelenskyy said. “It’s not about not being grateful [for Biden-era aid] — we are. The main thing was that we don’t owe anything to be reimbursed.”

Trump: US "entitled" to resources

Trump, speaking at his first Cabinet meeting since returning to office, confirmed the rare earth minerals deal, calling it “a very big agreement.”

“The previous administration put us in a very bad position, but we've been able to make a deal where we're going to get the money back and a lot of money in the future,” Trump said.

He framed the deal as a way for Ukraine to pay back the US for past aid. “We’re going to be signing an agreement. We get what we’re entitled to take,” Trump told reporters.

Security guarantees in question

Despite Ukraine’s ongoing war, Trump was noncommittal about future US security guarantees, instead emphasising Europe’s role in supporting Kyiv.

“I’m not going to make security guarantees … very much,” he said. “We’re going to have Europe do that.”

However, Trump suggested that US workers extracting minerals in Ukraine would create a deterrent against further conflict. “Nobody’s going to be messing around with our people when we’re there, and so we’ll be there that way.”

Ukraine seeks European support

Zelenskyy emphasised the importance of coordinating Ukraine’s position with the US and Europe.

“I want to tell President Trump how I understand the position of our partners from Europe because we’ve [had] a lot of consultations,” Zelensky said. “I think I know what they are ready for, how they can help, and what strategic role the EU — even the [whole of] Europe — will play for Ukraine … in future security guarantees.”

He also insisted that any ceasefire or peace deal with Russia must include Ukraine and that US sanctions on Russia should remain in place.

“A lot of things depend on the decision of President Trump, because also European partners will look at this,” Zelenskyy said. “This is [a] very important moment.”