US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, cautioning that reneging on a minerals agreement with the United States could result in significant consequences. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump expressed frustration over Zelenskyy' s apparent hesitation to move forward with the deal.

" He' s trying to back out of the rare earth deal, " Trump told reporters. " If he does that, he' s got some problems. Big, big problems. We made a deal on rare earth. And now he' s saying, ' well you know, I want to renegotiate the deal. ' "

Trump' s remarks underscore the growing tension between Washington and Kyiv over a strategic agreement that had been in the works for months. The deal, centered on rare earth minerals crucial for technological and military applications, was originally expected to solidify economic and geopolitical ties between the two nations. However, recent developments suggest that Ukraine may be reconsidering its commitment.

While Trump insisted that " we' re making a lot of progress, " he acknowledged that the ongoing animosity between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin remains a significant hurdle in broader diplomatic efforts. " There' s tremendous hatred between Zelenskyy and Putin, " he noted, hinting that negotiations to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine may not conclude as swiftly as he had promised during his campaign.