KEY POINTS
  • Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly committed to working under President Donald Trump's leadership in ending the Ukraine-Russia war.
  • The war, which was initiated by Russia, has waged for over three years. American aid has shored up much of Ukraine's defenses.
  • A conflict at the Oval Office last week underscored tension between Trump and Zelenskyy. Since then, Vice President JD Vance insisted that Ukraine would have better security with America than any other nation, and Zelenskyy posted on X that he is ready to negotiate on terms amenable to the White House.

On Monday night, Vice President JD Vance told a Fox News host that by giving the United States a stake in its critical minerals it would intertwine the two countries, giving Ukraine a “security guarantee” if it signs the deal, the Deseret News previously reported.

“If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine,” Vance said.

“That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years,” he continued, referring to a European proposal to send a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now willing to agree to American requirements.

“I would like to reiterate Ukraine’s commitment to peace,” he said in an X post that, as of Tuesday afternoon, had been viewed 13 million times. “Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table ... My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.”

‘We do really value how much America has done’

Last week, an Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy, Vance and President Donald Trump went awry, ending in a shouting match.

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A minerals deal was supposed to be signed that day, but Trump and Vance, who took offense to Zelenskyy’s discussion in front of the press of wanting to change the deal, sent him home before their scheduled lunch and joint press conference, Axios reports.

The spectacle was also marked by Vance calling Zelenskyy out for not being grateful enough for American assistance.

“Have you said thank you once?” he asked.

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After leaving the White House following Friday’s argument with Vance and Trump, Zelenskyy posted his gratitude to X, saying, as he has in the past, “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.”

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On Tuesday, Zelenskyy went further.

“We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence,” he wrote. “And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins (in 2017). We are grateful for this.

“Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be,” he continued. “It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive.”

Zelenskyy has expressed willingness to sign the critical mineral deal with the American government at any time convenient for them.

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