The Kremlin said Wednesday that it was still waiting for official confirmation that the United States and Ukraine had agreed on the terms of a landmark minerals deal.
U.S. President Donald Trump had demanded Ukraine give access to its strategic minerals to compensate for the billions of dollars of military and other aid it received under former president Joe Biden.
A senior Ukrainian official told AFP late Tuesday that Kyiv had agreed on the framework of a deal, and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could sign it as soon as Friday.
"So far, there are no official statements on this matter. We have only heard that Zelensky seemed to be going to Washington on Friday," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
"There will probably be attempts to make this visit somewhat substantive," he added.
Ukraine hopes the minerals deal will improve relations with the Trump administration, which have soured amid a war of words between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Kyiv also wants security guarantees, though the current draft of the deal does not place any specific security commitments on the United States, according to a senior Ukrainian official.
Moscow has also touted the possibility of U.S. investment in strategic minerals found in Russia and parts of Ukraine under the control of Russian troops.
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