Zelenskyy says Ukraine ready to sign minerals deal with US after White House showdown

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that Ukraine is "ready to sign" a minerals agreement with the United States, describing it as the "first step toward security guarantees."

Sharing a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, "We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees. But it's not enough, and we need more than just that."

"A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine. We've been fighting for 3 years, and Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side," he added.

This came a day after Zelenskyy's tense exchange with US President Donald Trump at the White House and cut short a visit to Washington on Friday (local time), world leaders offered a strong show of support to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and promised to do more to help his nation.

Earlier in the day, he also met Britain's King Charles III at Sandringham House.

In a post on X, he expressed gratitude and wrote, "I am grateful to His Majesty King Charles III for the audience."

He also met the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to develop a joint action plan for ending the war with a just and lasting peace.

In a post on X, he described the meeting as "productive," adding that "No one other than Putin is interested in the continuation and quick return of the war."

"Therefore, it is important to maintain unity around Ukraine and strengthen our country's position in cooperation with our allies - the countries of Europe and the United States.

Ukraine needs peace backed by robust security guarantees. I am grateful to Italy for its continued support and partnership in bringing peace in Ukraine closer," he added.