Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not confirmed that he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump next week but said the coming weeks may be "very intensive in diplomacy."
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Trump said on February 7 that he is likely to meet with Zelenskyy next week. The site of the meeting "could be Washington," he said, adding that he would not be going to Kyiv.
He also said he would "probably" be speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin soon but did not give a time frame. Zelenskyy said it is important that he and Trump meet in person before the U.S. president meets with Putin.
Zelenskyy did not confirm a meeting with Trump but said diplomacy would be ramping up.
"The coming weeks may be very intensive in diplomacy, and we will do what’s needed to make this time effective and productive. We always appreciate working with President Trump," he said shortly after Trump spoke.
"We're also planning meetings and talks at the teams’ level. Right now Ukrainian and American teams are working out the details. A solid, lasting peace shall become closer."
Zelenskyy on February 8 accused Putin of rebuilding Russia's military capabilities in order to continue the war against Ukraine.
"Intelligence reports confirm that Russia is forming new divisions and developing new military production facilities," Zelenskyy said on X without being specific.
“This means one simple thing -- Putin is preparing not for negotiations, not for peace, but for the continuation of the war -- and not only against Ukraine.
"They are now increasing their army by more than a hundred thousand soldiers,” Zelenskyy wrote, also citing a continued influx of North Korean soldiers.
In his comments earlier at the White House, Trump reiterated that he is interested in tying continued military aid to access to Ukraine's raw materials.
"One of the things we're looking at with President Zelenskyy is having the security of their assets. They have assets underground, rare earth and other things, but primarily rare earth," he said.
"We're looking to do a deal with Ukraine where they're going to secure what we're giving them with their rare earths and other things,” Trump said on February 3.
He said on February 7 that the United States wants "an equal amount of something" in exchange for U.S. support. “We would like them to equalize," Trump said.
SEE ALSO: Ukraine Needs U.S. Weapons. Trump Wants Its Rare Earth Minerals In Return.More than four dozen minerals, including several types of rare earths, nickel, and lithium, are considered critical to the U.S. economy and national defense. Ukraine has large deposits of uranium, lithium, and titanium.
Ukraine floated the idea of opening its critical minerals to investment by allies last year when it presented its plan to end the war and now suggests it could be open to a deal.
"If we are talking about a deal, then let's do a deal. We are only for it," Zelenskyy said on February 7, emphasizing Ukraine's need for security guarantees from its allies as part of any settlement of the war.
"Strong security always has many elements, and each one matters," he said on X. "Ukraine possesses some of the largest strategic resource reserves in Europe, and protecting Ukraine also means protecting these resources."
Less than 20 percent of Ukraine's mineral resources, including about half its rare earth deposits, are under Russian occupation, Zelenskyy said in an interview with Reuters published on February 7. Moscow could open those resources to North Korea and Iran if it maintains its hold on the territories.
"We need to stop Putin and protect what we have -- a very rich Dnipro region, central Ukraine," he told Reuters.
SEE ALSO: Ukraine Feels The Shockwaves As USAID Cuts Start To BiteZelenskyy is likely to further discuss the idea with allies next week at the Munich Security Conference.
Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, said this week he plans to attend the conference, but denied a report that he will present Trump’s plan for ending the war in Ukraine at the gathering, which starts on February 14.
Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy's chief of staff, said he had spoken to Kellogg about the battlefield situation, the safety of Ukrainian civilians, and meetings at the annual security conference. He also said Ukraine is looking forward to Kellogg’s visit later this month.