Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday that the United States has proposed a new version of a mineral agreement to Ukraine. This revelation comes on the heels of recent consultations between Ukrainian and US delegations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov described these talks as "productive."

According to Anadolu Agency, the discussions in Riyadh were followed by a second round of talks on Tuesday, occurring after a separate meeting between American and Russian delegations on Monday. Speaking in Kyiv, Zelenskyy mentioned that his team briefed him about the US proposal, which he described as a 'large, comprehensive' deal from the American viewpoint. However, Zelenskyy noted that he currently lacks specific details about the US's vision for a major minerals deal, indicating that the document is still a work in progress between both parties.

The Ukrainian president highlighted that the agreement will be put to a vote in the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, once both sides finalize the details. He also clarified that the agreement does not pertain to Ukraine's nuclear power plants.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy discussed energy supplies and Ukraine's nuclear power plants during a phone call. A White House statement revealed that Trump offered US assistance in operating the plants, suggesting US ownership as a potential 'best protection.' However, Zelenskyy later informed journalists that while they discussed the restoration and modernization of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, ownership was not part of their conversation.