President Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly plan to sign a minerals deal that they had placed on hold following a clash Friday that cast doubt on a lasting ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
Trump wants to announce the deal during his Tuesday State of the Union address, sources told Reuters. It was not immediately clear whether the two presidents would sign the deal before or after the address.
"The deal that was to be signed last week included no explicit security guarantees for Ukraine but gave the U.S. access to revenues from Ukraine's natural resources," Reuters reported. "It also envisaged the Ukrainian government contributing 50% of future monetization of any state-owned natural resources to a U.S.-Ukraine managed reconstruction investment fund."
The report comes after Zelensky posted on X that Ukraine "is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible."
"None of us wants an endless war," the Ukrainian president wrote. "My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts."
After the two presidents' tense meeting last week, Trump wrote on Truth Social that "Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations."
The Trump administration on Monday paused all U.S. aid to Ukraine, urging Zelensky to show a "good-faith" commitment to peace negotiations with Russia, the Wall Street Journal reported. Trump "has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well," a White House official said in a statement.
Zelensky in his Tuesday statement acknowledged that his Friday meeting with Trump "did not go the way it was supposed to be," calling it "regrettable."
Zelensky also affirmed his mineral deal with the United States, originally scheduled for Friday, saying that "Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format."
Update 2:43 p.m.: This piece has been updated with additional information.