Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Munich today that he refused to sign an agreement with the United States (US) on Ukrainian minerals, saying it does not protect his country at this stage.
"I did not authorize the ministers to sign the agreement because it is not ready. In my opinion, it does not protect us," Zelensky said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, adding that such an agreement "must contain security guarantees for Ukraine."
"However, I still don't see that connection between minerals and protection in the document," he added.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope on Thursday to reach a deal on Ukrainian minerals to partially repay the US debt for aid it provided to Ukraine to finance its war against Russia.
"Some of that money would go to repay the billions of American taxpayer dollars spent in that country," Rubio said, a day after US President Donald Trump had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Rubio added that another portion of the money would be used to rebuild Ukraine.
Trump, who has criticized US aid to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion, recently said he wants an agreement on access to Ukrainian mineral resources as a condition for continued US support.
Ukraine has large reserves of lithium and titanium, essential for advanced technologies.
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