Trump Administration Pushes Controversial Ukraine Peace Talks and Resource Deal

European leaders criticize US exclusion of Ukraine from negotiations and pressure over $500 billion minerals deal.

The Trump administration has excluded Ukraine from new peace talks with Russia in Saudi Arabia, raising concerns among European allies about Kyiv's absence.
President Trump labeled Ukrainian President Zelensky a 'dictator' and blamed Ukraine for starting the war, while pushing a $500 billion minerals deal as repayment for US aid.
European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, have called for Ukraine's sovereignty to be central to any peace negotiations.
Reports indicate the US has threatened to cut Ukraine's access to Starlink satellite services if the minerals deal is not signed, a move Ukrainian officials describe as blackmail.
The proposed deal would require Ukraine to relinquish significant revenue from natural resources without clear US security guarantees, prompting criticism of its fairness and implications for Ukraine's postwar recovery.