**Trump Considered Canceling Zelensky’s Washington Visit**
US President Donald Trump thought about canceling a visit to Washington by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, after talking with French President Emmanuel Macron, he decided to go ahead with the meeting.
**Why Did Trump Change His Mind?**
According to French TV network BFMTV, Macron spoke with Trump and convinced him to proceed with the meeting. The visit was scheduled for February 28.
**What’s Behind the Meeting?**
Zelensky is visiting Washington to discuss a deal between Ukraine and the US about mineral resources. Ukraine will get half of the money from selling these resources in the future. However, Ukraine initially rejected this agreement because it didn’t have any security guarantees.
**Pressure on Zelensky**
The Trump administration had been pressuring Ukraine to finalize this deal for weeks. On February 19, Trump even publicly attacked Zelensky, calling him a “dictator without elections.” Trump warned that if Zelensky didn’t move fast enough, he might lose his country.
**International Reactions**
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the possibility of this deal with Zelensky. The EU is facing challenges in ensuring Ukraine’s security against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
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