**US and Ukraine Plan to Sign Mineral Deal**
The US and Ukraine are planning to sign a mineral deal on March 4. According to Reuters, sources close to the matter said that US President Donald Trump will announce the agreement during his upcoming address to Congress.
However, the situation remains fluid, and it’s unclear if the deal will go through as planned. This comes after President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the White House on February 28, which was intended to finalize the agreement. However, the meeting turned into a public clash between Trump and Zelensky.
**Tensions Between US and Ukraine**
The dispute began when Zelensky rejected an initial draft of the mineral deal, citing concerns that it imposed one-sided obligations on Ukraine without any security commitments from Washington. Trump responded by accusing Zelensky of “disrespecting” the US and saying that he was not ready for peace.
Zelensky later called the fallout “regrettable” and reaffirmed Ukraine’s readiness to sign the mineral and security agreement. The final deal is expected to establish a fund where Ukraine will contribute 50% of the proceeds from the future monetization of state-owned mineral resources, including oil, gas, and logistics infrastructure.
**US Suspends Military Aid**
The dispute has led to the US suspending military aid to Ukraine. President Trump ordered an immediate halt to more than $1 billion in U.S. military aid on March 4. House Speaker Mike Johnson later stated that the pause is temporary and tied to the fallout from Zelensky’s heated Oval Office exchange with Trump.
**Shifts in Alliances**
The developments mark a significant shift in the US’s relationship with Ukraine, Europe, and the rest of the world. According to Timothy Ash, associate fellow at Chatham House’s Russia and Eurasia Programme, what is unfolding right now are “teutonic shifts in alliances that I don‘t think anyone could quite have imagined.”
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