We brought you comments earlier from Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said the meeting with Donald Trump, which took place on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral last week, was the “best” conversation the two men have ever had (see post at 9.47am).
In comments released by his presidential administration, Zelenskyy also said he and the US president agreed that a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow was the correct first step towards ending the war in Ukraine.
We can now bring you more comments from the Ukrainian leader.
On the critical minerals deal, Zelenskyy said the deal signed by the two countries on Wednesday was mutually beneficial, and that it would allow Ukraine to defend future US investments, as well as its own territory and people.
The accord, heavily touted by Trump, will give the US preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and unleash US investment in Ukraine’s reconstruction.
Zelenskyy said that the money would, at least initially, be reinvested and not leave Ukraine.
“Only if the parties then, in the future, agree that in 20 years the fund is fine, things are being built, there is production,” he said.
On the security element of the deal, Zelenskyy highlighted the importance of more effective air defences that have remained one of Kyiv’s main requests to its allies throughout the war.
“And so we are ready for air defence systems to be a contribution (to the fund). I told him about the number (of systems that we need) – he told me that they will work on it, (that) these things are not free.”