KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has shown hesitance to sign an agreement that would grant the United States preferential access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals, according to a local source.

This proposed arrangement is seen as a form of compensation for the significant assistance provided by the US, which is reported to total tens of billions of dollars during former President Joe Biden's term.

Mike Waltz, a notable figure from former President Donald Trump’s administration and national security adviser, suggested on Friday that he expects Zelensky will eventually agree to the deal.

Nevertheless, the specific details of the proposed agreement have not yet been made public.

A source close to the Ukrainian presidency remarked, "In its current form, the draft is not something the president is prepared to accept.

We are still working to make revisions and introduce more constructive elements." The source criticized the ambiguity of the agreement regarding American commitments, stating, "There are no clear American commitments within the agreement concerning guarantees or investments; all references to them are quite vague, and they want to take $500 billion from us."

In light of the agreement's conditions, the source emphasized the necessity for clarity and asked, "What kind of partnership is this?

...And why are we expected to provide $500 billion?

There are no answers." Ukraine has suggested multiple amendments to improve the agreement's clarity and security assurances.

The discussions occur amid rising tensions between Zelensky and Trump.

Earlier this week, Trump labeled Zelensky a "dictator" in a social media post, further straining diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Ukraine continues to navigate its foreign policy while seeking security guarantees from the United States as part of any agreement related to its natural resources and critical minerals.