[theold]

US President Donald Trump is pressuring Ukraine to give US companies preferential access to the war-torn country's mineral deposits, saying the country's leadership "don't have any cards, but they play it tough". Kyiv has been pushing for security guarantees from Washington in return.

Forbes Ukraine in April 2023 estimated that Ukraine's mineral resources amounted to 111 billion tonnes, worth $14.8 trillion – mostly coal and iron ore.

But more than 70 percent of these resources were in Donetsk and Luhansk – regions partly controlled by Russia – and Dnipropetrovsk, where Moscow's forces are approaching.

Russia's army on Friday said it had captured two more villages in eastern Ukraine.

Trump told Fox News on Friday that "I don't think he's very important to be in meetings", referring to Zelensky, adding "he makes it very hard to make deals".

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20...aine-talks

[p1acebo]