GOP lawmaker says Ukraine mineral deal 'will be signed in short order'
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) says he's confident the derailed mineral deal between the U.S. and Ukraine "will be signed in short order," despite the confrontational meeting between President Trump, Vice President Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that thwarted its finalization last week.
"We are 100% getting this train back on the tracks," Fitzpatrick wrote on X on Monday. "This mineral deal will be signed in short order, which will lead to a strong long-term economic partnership between the United States and Ukraine, and which will ultimately and naturally lead to security assistance."
Fitzpatrick, a co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said he had a productive discussion with Zelensky chief of staff Andriy Yermak to revive the proposal, which would provide financial compensation to the U.S. from Ukraine's rare minerals in exchange for continued support.
Yermak also expressed optimism after they talked, writing on X that he and Fitzpatrick "discussed the path toward a just peace and the Mineral Agreement with the U.S."
"There is mutual understanding, and we are moving toward a decision for our leaders to make," he wrote.
Fitzpatrick has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine and previously said a deal shouldn't amount to "victim extortion" and that Ukraine shouldn't be forced into an agreement with no security guarantees.
Fitzpatrick encouraged his followers Monday to "stay tuned for further details."
"Europe will be required to step up and do its part, and there will be mandates for them to do just that," he wrote.
After a shouting match erupted in front of reporters on Friday, Zelensky was abruptly kicked out of the White House with no deal in place.
But Trump on Monday also acknowledged that the proposal isn't dead, despite the fracas and blamed former President Biden for providing aid without compensation.
“It’s a great deal for us, because you know Biden very, very foolishly, stupidly, frankly, gave $300 billion … to a country to fight and to try and do things," he told reporters at the White House. "And you know what happened? We get nothing.”
Trump has accused Zelensky of wanting to prolong the war and not showing enough appreciation for the U.S.'s assistance.
Zelensky has denied both assertions.
“It is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible,” the Ukrainian leader wrote on X on Monday.
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