Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday that Kiev's legal team has begun preparing a counterproposal for an agreement to transfer some of the country's mineral reserves to the United States.
Speaking to the press amid a meeting with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Kiev, Zelensky insisted that Ukraine not joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is not a prerequisite for reaching a deal. Earlier, Baerbock said that the final arrangement must comply with the European Union's regulations due to Ukraine's status as a candidate to enter the bloc.
The US previously sent its proposal, and the first round of negotiations began in the meantime. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump accused Zelensky of "trying to back out" of the deal.
