Trump Cancels Signing Ceremony with Ukraine

A planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took an unexpected turn on Friday, descending into a heated exchange. President Zelenskyy expressed concerns over the proposed deal, citing vague terms and missing critical details, though he acknowledged it as a potential starting point.

President Trump, under the impression that the agreement was finalized and that Zelenskyy’s visit was merely procedural, reacted angrily during the public meeting, accusing the Ukrainian leader of being “disrespectful.”

The disagreement stemmed from Zelenskyy’s decision to reject Trump’s “rare earths deal,” which offered a defense pact in exchange for access to Ukraine’s rare mineral resources. Zelenskyy criticized the deal’s lack of clarity on how the US would secure Ukraine’s borders or bring an end to Russia’s invasion.

In response, Trump abruptly canceled the signing ceremony, with a White House official later stating that the President felt “disrespected” by Zelenskyy’s remarks and demeanor. However, the official added that the Ukrainian delegation was welcome to reschedule the signing during their visit.

With a more comprehensive defense proposal from the European Union already on the table—offering industrial access to Ukraine’s rare earth resources—Ukraine appears unlikely to yield to US demands.