President Donald Trump thinks Zelenskyy is trying to weasel out of the minerals deal. That’s a crucial requirement and it could end up blowing any chance there is for quick peace in Ukraine. The eastern European leader thinks he can use the agreement as leverage over Trump but it doesn’t work that way. It’s no wonder Putin suggested Ukraine get a more “competent” leader before they go any further. Saudi Arabian talks are on hold, losing valuable time, while Zelenskyy drags his feet.
Deal going sour
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been sabotaging his own peace deal. Every lawyer knows that it’s impossible to settle a case with the client in the way. Step one is get permission to bargain on their behalf with a retainer agreement. Then, make them pay something down for the services. “We’ll call you when it’s done,” they’re told as they’re hustled out the door.
Settling a war is the same way but Zelenskyy isn’t listening. He agreed to the contract but didn’t come across with the retainer check. Now, he’s hanging around the waiting room, quizzing the receptionist about the fine print in the contract.
On Sunday, March 30, President Trump accused Zelenskyy of “trying to back out” of the minerals arrangement. It’s been on and off for weeks. At this point, Volodymyr would face “big problems” if he didn’t sign, Trump assures.
Ukraine is concerned that “conditions of the deal changed significantly in recent days.” These things are fluid and he needs to nail it down before the blob of jello crawls off his plate.
“I see he’s trying to back out of the rare earth deal and if he does that, he’s got some problems. Big, big problems,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. The teams had a firm agreement “and now he’s saying, ‘well, you know, I want to renegotiate.‘”
What Zelenskyy really wants is to be a member of NATO. That’s a laugh. “Well, he was never going to be a member of NATO. He understands that. So if he’s looking to renegotiate the deal, he’s got big problems.”
Work it out with Putin
What Zelenskyy doesn’t seem to realize is that Trump is going to make a deal with Russia to split European interests between them. They’ll divide Ukraine any way they like and Zelenskyy won’t have a thing he can do about it. He’s already lost his little war.
The best thing he can do is sign over the rare minerals to give Trump a good reason to let him keep some of his country.
The latest word from the Ukrainian side came Thursday, noting that they had agreed to a “framework agreement” and then a full agreement would be hashed out later. He adds that before signing the deal there would need to be “more research and ratification in the Ukrainian parliament.”
By then, the war could be over. With Russian tanks rolling through the streets of Kiev. He doesn’t seem to appreciate that time is of the essence.
Trump keeps telling him that they need the full agreement right away but Zelenskyy thinks he knows better. “So it’s too early to talk about the agreement, which has been changed several times. But I would not want the U.S. to have a feeling that Ukraine is against it in general.”
He thinks delaying the deal will make it sweeter. “We have consistently shown our positive signals. We are for cooperation with the United States.” Cooperate by signing. The alternative will be messy.
