BREAKING: Trump calls out Zelensky for not signing mineral deal, 'three weeks late'

On Friday, President Donald Trump called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to sign the rare earth minerals deal with the US that the leader said he would commit to. Trump also added that negotiations in the peace talks with Russia and Ukraine have been going "smoothly."

Trump posted on Truth Social, "Ukraine, headed by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has not signed the final papers on the very important Rare Earths Deal with the United States. It is at least three weeks late. Hopefully, it will be signed IMMEDIATELY. Work on the overall Peace Deal between Russia and Ukraine is going smoothly. SUCCESS seems to be in the future!"

The statement from Trump comes after Russia launched strikes on Kyiv this past week, putting peace talks under stress, and leading Trump saying that “things will happen” to Russia if they keep bombing Ukraine. Zelensky said he would sign a proposed rare earth minerals deal with the United States earlier in 2025, yet it still has not been made official. 

When the leaders met in the Oval Office last month, Zelensky was resistant to doing a rare earth minerals deal, leading to a clash between the Ukrainian leader, Trump, as well as Vice President JD Vance. At the time, Zelensky wanted to get security guarantees from the United States. He later yielded under pressure from the Trump administration and said he would sign the minerals deal.  

The comment from Trump also comes as the US has been under pressure to look for more rare earth mineral sources, as China has blocked the exports of major rare earth minerals and magnets, which are key to manufacturing high-level technology, defense systems, as well as other products.