Trump’s meeting with Zelensky comes as Washington and Kyiv hammer out a mineral deal, with war aid on the line. But the value of Ukraine’s minerals remains murky.

Ukraine has agreed to the terms of a deal that would allow the U.S. access to the country's rare earth and critical minerals reserves.

President Trump, who had insisted he wanted “payback” for past military aid to Kyiv, suggested President Volodymyr Zelensky would visit Washington this week to sign an agreement, which he called a “very big deal.