Mon Feb 17 06:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Diplomatic Turmoil as US-Russia Talks Loom Over Ukraine’s Minerals and Future
**Riyadh/Paris/Kyiv –** A proposed US deal offering Ukraine financial assistance in exchange for access to its critical mineral deposits has hit a snag, sparking diplomatic chaos as the US and Russia initiate talks and Europe grapples with being sidelined.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected a draft agreement presented by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, stating it lacked crucial security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelenskyy insisted that any deal involving Ukraine’s valuable mineral resources – including rare earths, titanium, uranium, and lithium – must include provisions protecting these assets, some of which are currently under Russian occupation. He reportedly questioned the proposal’s fairness, stating that “If we are not given the security guarantees from the United States, I believe that the economic treaty will not work.” Reports suggest the US initially proposed taking a 50% stake in these resources.
Adding to the tension, US Senator Marco Rubio is leading preliminary US-Russia ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia, a move that has prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to convene a European summit in Paris to address concerns about Europe’s exclusion from the US-Russia dialogue. This marks the first high-level US-Russia meeting in over two years. While Rubio attempted to reassure Europe of its inclusion in any future negotiations, the lack of prior consultation has fueled anxieties.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy is currently in the Middle East, visiting the UAE to discuss prisoner exchanges and potentially Saudi Arabia, though his attendance at the US-Russia talks remains unconfirmed. A Ukrainian delegation is already in Riyadh.
On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces have reportedly retaken the village of Pischane, suggesting a possible slowing of the Russian advance in eastern Ukraine. Russian bloggers claim Ukrainian drone attacks are significantly hampering Russian troop movements. Overnight, both sides reported air defenses intercepting drones, with Russia claiming to have downed 90 Ukrainian drones and Ukraine reporting attacks on Kyiv. Additionally, two drones violated Moldovan airspace near the Ukrainian border.
The conflicting reports and rapidly evolving diplomatic situation underscore the complexity of the ongoing conflict and the uncertain path toward a resolution.
First Piper 