WASHINGTON — President Trump shook hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Friday morning as he welcomed him to the White House to sign a mineral-rights deal that the US leader hopes will be a prelude to ending the three-year Russian invasion.
The deal grants the US a stake in Ukrainian rare-earth elements and has been described by Trump as a way for America to recoup hundreds of billions in war aid — and for Kyiv to get implicit security guarantees through the presences of Americans to mine the material, even though commercial success may be in the distant future.
Trump, 78, firmly grasped Zelensky’s right hand while placing his left on the Ukrainian leader’s shoulder.
“He’s all dressed up today,” Trump also said of Zelensky, addressing members of the White House press corp outside the West Wing.
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