Top officials from the Trump administration held secret discussions with President Volodymyr Zelensky and his team in an effort to repair relations following a tense Oval Office meeting, CNN reports, citing sources.
Trump’s special representative for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, was among those involved in the talks. The administration urged Ukraine to resume negotiations on a rare earth metals deal as soon as possible – preferably before Trump’s address to Congress.
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According to The Times, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also played a role in persuading Zelensky. On March 4, Starmer called the Ukrainian leader, advising him “to back down and apologize.”
Shortly after, Zelensky posted a statement on X, where he admitted that the meeting “did not go the way it was supposed to be” and signaled Kyiv’s openness to sign a resources deal offered by US President Donald Trump.
The rare earth metals agreement, originally set to be signed on Feb. 28, was delayed after Zelensky’s visit to Washington, where he clashed with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. The dispute led to Zelensky leaving the White House ahead of schedule.
Days later, Trump assured that the deal was “not dead” but insisted Zelensky needed to show “more appreciation” for US support.
On March 4, Reuters reported that the US and Ukraine were preparing to finalize the agreement, with Trump hoping to announce it during his March 5 address to Congress.
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However, he only referenced an “important letter” from Zelensky, in which the Ukrainian leader expressed willingness to negotiate and sign the deal at Trump’s convenience.
CBS News reports that the agreement is still in progress, as Trump now seeks a “bigger, better deal.”
Meanwhile, during his address to Congress, Trump claimed that Ukraine and Russia were ready for peace talks.
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