Macron mediates to revive Trump-Zelenskyy summit amidst tensions
The US President, Donald Trump, intended to cancel the meeting with the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, scheduled for Friday. However, thanks to the intervention of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, the meeting will proceed. This information was reported by BFM, citing sources in French diplomacy.
According to reports, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was informed by the American administration of the cancellation of the meeting. In response, the Ukrainian president contacted Emmanuel Macron, who then called Donald Trump, requesting him to reconsider his decision. "Trump had to withdraw his decision to cancel the meeting after Macron’s pressure", emphasized BFM.
The meeting at the White House may proceed in a tense atmosphere. In recent weeks, Trump called Zelenskyy a dictator and stated that Ukraine has no chance of joining NATO. Nevertheless, during the visit, it is planned to finalise an agreement on partnership in the exploitation of Ukrainian natural resources.
Agreement on natural resources
According to the “Financial Times”, both parties have negotiated a draft agreement in which the USA waives demands for the right to 500 billion dollars in potential revenues from the exploitation of Ukrainian resources. A fund is planned to be established where Ukraine would contribute 50 percent of revenues from the future monetisation of state mineral resources, including oil and gas. This fund would invest in projects in Ukraine.
The meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, despite previous tensions, could prove crucial for future relations between the USA and Ukraine, especially in the context of economic and political cooperation.
