Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the United States on Thursday, setting the stage for a pivotal meeting with President Donald Trump scheduled for Friday. This marks the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders since Trump's inauguration on January 20.
The anticipated discussion is expected to center around a rare minerals agreement, a critical component in the ongoing geopolitical landscape. This meeting follows a series of high-profile verbal exchanges between Trump and Zelenskyy, escalating tensions between the United States and Ukraine.
Recent developments have intensified the dialogue between the two nations. On February 18, a high-level U.S.-Russia meeting in Saudi Arabia aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict excluded Ukrainian officials. In response, Zelenskyy postponed a planned visit to Saudi Arabia the following day, emphasizing that "negotiations should not take place behind our backs."
Trump responded hours after the U.S.-Russia talks, expressing increased confidence that the conflict would soon conclude. When questioned about Ukraine's exclusion from the negotiations, Trump remarked, \"I hear that they're upset about not having a seat. Well, they've had a seat for three years and a long time before that. This could have been settled very easily.\" He went on to suggest that Kyiv bears responsibility for initiating the conflict, a stance that diverges from the longstanding position of the United States and its allies.
In addition, Trump claimed that President Zelenskyy's approval rating had fallen to "4 percent" and advocated for new presidential elections in Ukraine, citing Zelenskyy's purportedly expired mandate. This assertion comes despite Ukraine postponing its scheduled 2024 presidential election due to the ongoing conflict.
Zelenskyy responded sharply to Trump's comments, accusing the former president of succumbing to Russian "disinformation." He stated, \"I believe that the United States helped (Vladimir) Putin break out of years of isolation,\" delivering some of his strongest criticism yet of the new U.S. administration. Zelenskyy also urged Trump's team "to be more truthful" in their public statements.
The upcoming meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy is poised to address these escalating tensions and explore avenues for cooperation, particularly in the realm of rare minerals, which are vital for various industries and geopolitical strategies.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
