The White House advised Volodymyr Zelensky to consider stepping down and allowing a new leader to take charge in Ukraine as tensions between the US and Kyiv escalate amid peace talks involving Russia.
Zelensky and President Trump have engaged in a verbal conflict this week, reportedly stemming from the Ukrainian leader’s actions during discussions regarding vital mineral deposits. This disagreement led President Trump to threaten to halt all American financial support to Ukraine, as per Axios.
During the negotiations, Trump proposed that Ukraine could start repaying the US for the assistance provided over the past three years with approximately $500 billion worth of essential minerals.
Zelensky furiously lashed out at the initial proposal, claiming that it was too vague and demanded a 50 percent share of Ukraine’s mineral deposits, adding that Trump was demanding $500 billion worth of the minerals – which was far beyond America’s total contribution to the Ukraine war effort of $100 billion.Â
The Ukrainian leader has since appeared to concede and is set to sign the deal.Â
Tensions began to rise on February 12, when Trump accused Zelensky of being late to a meeting with Bessent and ‘rude’ when the head of the treasury made the first offer for the minerals.Â
He caused further anger in a meeting with Vice President J.D Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Munich, just two days later, saying he couldn’t approve a deal by himself.
On February 15, Zelensky publicly rejected the deal, calling it ‘not in the interests of a sovereign Ukraine’.Â
The White House has warned that Volodymyr Zelensky should ‘leave for France ‘ and let a new leader run Ukraine
Trump suggested that Kyiv could begin to compensate the US for aid sent over the last three years with ‘like $500 billion worth’ of critical minerals
Zelensky and President Trump have been locked in a war of words this week, with the Ukrainian leader being said to have angered Trump so much during negotiations over deposits of critical minerals that the president threatened to completely pull US fundingÂ
President Zelensky and his wife Olena set the candles in tribute to the ‘Heavenly Hundred Heroes’ in central Kyiv
Zelensky became even more erratic just three days later, slamming talks he was not included in between the US and Russia in Saudi Arabia which led Trump to claim his approval ratings were at 4 percent.Â
The war of words reached fever pitch on Wednesday when Trump took to social media to brand Zelensky a ‘dictator’. Zelensky retorted by accusing Trump of living in a ‘disinformation space.’
A source told the New York Post that Zelensky is now best placed to ‘leave [for] France immediately’, while another claimed anti-Zelensky feeling is widespread in the White House.Â
‘I heard months ago it’s time for an election and new leadership’, a source told the publication.Â
Speaking at a White House briefing on Thursday, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said: ‘President Trump is obviously very frustrated right now with President Zelensky’.Â
He told Fox News that Zelensky must ‘tone it down and take a hard look and sign that deal.’
Waltz said the US had presented the Ukrainians with an ‘incredible and historic opportunity’ to invest in its economy and natural resources.
‘It would be a way for the country to ‘really become a partner in Ukraine’s future in a way that’s sustainable, but also would be I think the best security guarantee they could ever hope for… much more than another pallet of ammunition’, he said.
Vice President J.D. Vance warned Zelensky against attacking Trump publicly , saying that ‘badmouthing’ the president in public would only backfire
The deal appears to have come together with the help of retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy to Ukraine whom the president criticized for being too pro-Zelensky earlier FridayÂ
Zelensky said on Friday that officials from his country and the U.S. were working on concluding an economic deal to ensure that the accord worked and was fair to Kyiv
His comments on Thursday came hours after Vice President J.D. Vance warned Zelensky against attacking Trump publicly, saying that ‘badmouthing’ the president in public would only backfire.
‘The idea that Zelensky is going to change the president’s mind by badmouthing him in public media … everyone who knows the president will tell you that is an atrocious way to deal with this administration,’ he said.Â
Later that day, at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), he added: ‘Peace is in the interest of Russia, in the interest of Ukraine, in the interest of Europe,’ Vance stated.Â
‘I really believe we’re on the cusp of peace in Europe for the first time in three years because we have leadership from the Oval Office and we haven’t had it for four years in this country.’
It coms after the Kremlin said earlier that it ‘absolutely’ agrees with Trump after the US president warned Zelensky to ‘move fast’ to end the conflict in Ukraine.Â
‘[The Trump administration] talk about the need to establish peace as soon as possible and do it through negotiations,’ Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.Â
‘We have also already mentioned that this position is more favourable to us than the previous administration, and that here we absolutely agree with the American administration.’
