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KYIV — The US has presented Ukraine with a revised deal for its rare earth minerals after the initial proposal was struck down by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a Ukrainian source confirmed to The Post.
The “improved” draft deal, first reported by Axios, comes after President Trump and Zelensky spent the week trading barbs, with Zelensky accusing Trump of living in a Russian-made “disinformation space” and the president firing back, calling the Ukrainian leader a “dictator.”
Trump has been hot on securing a deal that would net the US billions of dollars’ worth of rare earth minerals in exchange for American support in Kyiv’s war against Russia.
The US president views the move as a way to get payback for the billions the US has provided Ukraine in its nearly three-year war with Russia, but Zelensky said it didn’t go far enough in terms of protections for his country.
The first plan, presented last week by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, said the US would get 50% of Ukraine’s rare mineral stock, valued at $500 billion.
Zelensky quickly dismissed the first plan, citing lack of security guarantees — but White House officials have pressured Ukraine to come back to the table.
“Scott Bessent actually went there and was treated rather rudely because essentially they told him ‘no,’” Trump said Wednesday. “He came back empty. They wouldn’t sign the document.”
National security adviser Michael Waltz went further, calling the lack of an agreement “unacceptable.”
“For all the administration has done in his first term … and all the United States has done for Ukraine — is just, it’s unacceptable,” Waltz said Thursday morning on “Fox & Friends.”
“They need to tone it down,” Waltz added, “and take a hard look and sign that deal.”
Waltz, from the White House podium, again reiterated Kyiv needs to reach an agreement.
“He needs to come back to the table,” he said referring to Zelensky Thursday afternoon. “We’re going to continue to have discussions about where that deal is going. Again. We have an obligation to the taxpayer.”
Zelensky emerged from his meeting with Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg Thursday afternoon sounding optimistic about finding an end to the war — despite the war of words between Trump and the Ukrainian leader after the US met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia without a Ukrainian presence.
The Ukrainian president wrote on Telegram that he’s ready to talk about peace with the US that includes provisions about freeing Ukrainian hostages and “security guarantees” that ensure Russia never invades again.
“We offered the fastest and most constructive way to achieve the result. Our team is ready to work 24/7,” he wrote.
The White House would not comment on the new draft.
“I won’t confirm or deny terms of discussion because – no offense intended – I think the best venue for the discussions is not through the media as the last few days have demonstrated,” a White House official told The Post.
