Zelenskyy did not sign the financial agreement on rare earth

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, February 12, during a working visit to Ukraine. During the conversation, they talked about rare minerals, and the United States handed over the first draft of a partnership agreement, but Zelenskyy did not sign it.

This was reported by CNN on Thursday, February 13.

U.S.—Ukraine Financial Agreement

According to the article, Zelenskyy had hoped to meet personally with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss a broad vision of peace. But instead, Bessent arrived in Kyiv and handed over a financial agreement, in particular on rare earth minerals. However, the Ukrainian leader did not sign the document.

This happened while Trump was on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. CNN writes that the U.S. interest in minerals is not "big news".

"When Trump was lured into supporting Afghanistan in 2017 because of its alleged trillion-dollar mineral reserves, he nevertheless signed a deal with the Taliban that allowed them to seize power in just over two years," the journalists noted.

What the Office of the President of Urkaine says

A source in the President's Office told Suspilne that Zelenskyy had informed Trump that he had received a draft of the minerals agreement and had begun analyzing the proposal. The final answer is planned to be given in Munich during a meeting with U.S. Vice President Dee Vance.

At the same time, Trump himself did not ask for the agreement to be signed; the discussion took place with Bessent.

And Trump had an hour and a half phone conversation with Putin, during which they discussed the war in Ukraine.

Afterward, the American leader called Zelenskyy and informed him of the results.