Ukraine-Russia battle newest: Trump ‘slashes Kyiv repayments bill’ to open up minerals deal
The US has slashed its demands for the payback of aid by Ukraine during talks over an economic deal between the two nations.
Following a round of negotiations in Washington last week, Donald Trump‘s administration reduced its estimate of US aid provided to Kyiv to about $100 billion from $300 billion, sources told Bloomberg.
Trump sees the deal – which would allow the US to share profits on Ukraine’s rare minerals – as a means to recover the billions of dollars spent on aid in Ukraine.
Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Odesa president Volodymyr Zelensky said the negotiations on the minerals deal are “positive”.
“When the teams are ready, they will present what they have worked out. So far, both sides have ended the meetings in a positive mood,” Zelensky said.
The talks come after months of stalled negotiations over a deal that would give the US access to Ukraine’s vast reserves of critical raw materials.
Meanwhile, Russia launched a “massive” overnight drone attack on the Black Sea port city of Odesa damaging residential buildings and warehouses.
It came just hours after Nato secretary-general visited the region alongside Volodymyr Zelensky.
Top Trump envoys travel to Paris for Ukraine talks with Europe
Donald Trump’s most senior envoys are set to travel to Paris for talks with European counterparts over the future of Ukraine, the US state department has said.
The talks led by Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, and Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East, are set to last until Friday.
“Secretary of state Marco Rubio and ambassador Steve Witkoff will travel to Paris, France, 16-18 April for talks with European counterparts to advance President Trump’s goal to end the Russia-Ukraine war and stop the bloodshed,” the statement said.
“While in Paris, he will also discuss ways to advance shared interests in the region.”
‘Substantial progress’ made in minerals deal talk, says deputy prime minister
Ukraine and the United States have made “substantial progress” in their talks on a minerals deal and will sign a memorandum in the near future, first deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said.
US President Donald Trump is seeking a bilateral minerals deal as part of his push to end Ukraine’s war against the Russian invasion.
Trump also sees it as a way to recover billions of dollars the US has spent on military assistance to Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that Ukraine would not recognise past US military aid as loans.
“Our technical teams have worked very thoroughly together on the agreement, and there is significant progress. Our legal staff has adjusted several items within the draft agreement,” Svyrydenko said in a social media post on X.
In Pictures: Funeral of Lithuanian volunteer soldier
People attend the funeral ceremony of 20-year-old Tomas Valentelis, callsign “Biden”, a Lithuanian volunteer soldier who fought for the Ukrainian army and was killed in the battle near the Kupiansk direction.
More than 30 attacks on energy infrastructure
Ukraine accused Russia of carrying out more than 30 attacks on its energy infrastructure since the two sides agreed in March to pause strikes on such targets.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Heorhyi Tykhyi, told a news briefing that Russia attacked energy facilities in Kherson and Mykolaiv in the south and Poltava in the centre of the country over the past 24 hours.
In pictures: People hide in an underground metro station in Kyiv
‘Substantial progress’ made in minerals deal talk
Ukraine and the United States have made “substantial progress” in their talks on a minerals deal and will sign a memorandum in the near future, first deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said.
Svyrydenko said on Facebook the future agreement would help support economic growth both in Ukraine and the US.
Vladimir Putin will discuss Ukraine with Qatari leader
Vladimir Putin is set to discuss Ukraine with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani when they meet in Moscow today, the Kremlin said.
“There will definitely be an exchange of views between Putin and the Emir of Qatar on Ukrainian affairs,” Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“There will also be an exchange of views on regional affairs.
“The region is replete with conflict potential. And Qatar plays a very big and important role in attempts to resolve many situations,” Peskov said.
Qatar has made a series of attempts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, and has helped arrange the return of children from both countries who were separated from their parents during the war.
“We highly appreciate the potential and current level of our trade and economic cooperation and, of course, our confidential dialogue on many topics, including the most sensitive ones.”
Pictured: training for young Ukrainian civilians
Young Ukrainian civilians with the ‘Centuria’ organisation take part in tactical training in Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine, on Tuesday.
Founded in 2020 by veterans of the Azov Brigade, Centuria provides a space for youth aged 14 and above who are interested in defending Ukraine to gain military and combat medical training, with a focus on national identity.
The training sessions do not involve live ammunition. The organisation says it has over 3,000 members and branches in several Ukrainian cities.
Denmark to send soldiers for training in Ukraine
The Danish Armed Forces are planning to send Danish soldiers to Ukraine for training.
The soldiers will be unarmed and drawn from various military regiments, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
“In my 42 years of service in the armed forces, I have never seen events develop so quickly,” said Major General Peter Boysen, after observing the training of a reconnaissance regiment using advanced attack drones similar to those deployed on the front line in Ukraine.
Boysen asserts that the adoption of new weapons systems and warfare methods by the Danish Armed Forces stems from his two recent visits to Ukraine.
He now aims to accelerate the process by sending more teams of Danish soldiers to training camps in Ukraine.
Source: independent.co.uk
