In an unprecedented argument live on TV, US President Donald Trump told his Ukrainian counterpart he should “be thankful,” accusing Volodymyr Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful” and “gambling with World War III”.
Euronews asked Dutch MEP Thijs Reuten, who is the European Parliament’s shadow rapporteur on Ukraine and sits for the centre-left S&D group on the foreign affairs committee, what he thinks about potential rivalry between the US and EU over access to Ukraine’s mineral wealth.
Kyiv signed a raw materials deal with the EU just months before Russia invaded three years ago – but now the US is making access to the same mineral resources a condition for continued support to the battle-weary nation.
After weeks of intense negotiations, Kyiv and Washington have agreed on a deal to jointly develop Ukraine’s natural resources. While a final agreement still has a long way to go, the diplomacy around it matters as much as the agreement itself.
US and Russian diplomats meet in Istanbul to discuss embassy operations, with Ukraine off the agenda. This is a second round following talks in Saudi Arabia that signalled a shift in US policy under Trump.
The former president of the European Commission also told Euronews he regrets not being firmer on newer member states Hungary and Slovakia, which have been found to breach the EU’s rule of law, adding that Brussels needs to be “very careful” before admitting new countries to the bloc.
The euro rose to a near two-month high amid the postponed reciprocal tariffs by Trump and his push for Ukraine war peace talks. However, the rebound in the common currency may be only short-lived.
The British prime minister has previously said the US’ ‘backstop’ is crucial for a Ukrainian peace deal — a notion the Trump administration has rejected.
Kyiv and Washington reached a broad economic deal on Tuesday, which includes the exploitation of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals.
The French leader said after meeting US President Donald Trump that a ceasefire with Russia was possible but must have security guarantees.