Ukraine, U.S. Agree to Hold New Talks Amid Strained Relations

Ukraine and United States (US) have agreed to hold new talks, according to Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, following a phone call with U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on Wednesday.

Yermak wrote on X: "I had a phone conversation with the U.S. President’s National Security Advisor (Mike Waltz). We scheduled a meeting between our teams in the near future to continue this important work."

The previous meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House was marked by tension, as the two leaders engaged in a heated debate in front of the cameras.

Following the disagreement, the scheduled joint press conference was canceled, and Zelensky left the White House without signing an expected agreement.

The deal would have granted the U.S. a share of Ukraine’s rare minerals in exchange for the military aid provided by former President Joe Biden’s administration to Kyiv.

In the aftermath of the Oval Office meeting, Trump's administration halted all military aid to Ukraine, raising concerns about the commitment of Washington—Kyiv’s most crucial ally—to supporting Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia.