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(KYIV and LONDON) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a press conference in Kyiv on Wednesday that Ukraine has been working on a “preliminary framework” for a minerals sharing deal with the U.S., but again warned that no agreement can succeed without sufficient Western security guarantees.

“Without future security guarantees, we will not have a real ceasefire,” Zelenskyy said. “And if we don’t have it nothing will work. Nothing will work.”

The president told ABC News that Trump will face a “lot to challenges” with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “It is very difficult really. I understand President Trump wants to do it quickly.”

“But this is not dialogue with somebody,” Zelenskyy added. “He will have a lot of challenges with Putin, because he doesn’t want to end the war.”

“The most important is to end the war yesterday,” the president continued. “We need to focus to get peace without any possibility to get back to the war. That is why we are focusing on just peace and lasting. This is more important than weeks. Of course we want within days.”

Zelensky also said he is ready to be “flexible” about security guarantees, suggesting the U.S. didn’t need to be at the center of them but could contribute alongside other countries. The president added that he wants to ask Trump if the U.S. might stop American military aid in the future. For now, he said, there is no freeze in aid.

Zelenskyy stressed that any minerals deal cannot put Ukraine in debt for previous wartime American grants. That would open a “Pandora’s box,” he said, allowing other nations to demand repayments.

A Ukrainian official described to ABC News details of a potential U.S.-Ukraine mineral deal, sharing points that appear to suggest Kyiv has succeeded in significantly improving the terms, perhaps staring down some of the Trump administration’s more onerous demands.

The $500 billion demanded by Trump no longer features in the draft, a Ukrainian official told ABC News. The fund that Ukraine will pay into is also no longer going to be 100% U.S. owned, the official said.

The two countries have agreed to a deal relating to critical minerals and other resources, a senior Ukrainian official said on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump did not confirm the U.S. had agreed, instead saying he had heard that Zelenskyy will visit Washington, D.C., to finalize the deal on Friday and that “it’s OK with me if he’d like to.”

The terms of a final agreement haven’t yet been disclosed.

The Ukrainian official said the resources that the agreement will apply to are only those not currently contributing to the Ukrainian budget, which means no oil and gas, or likely the majority of the country’s mineral resources.

If the final deal remains close to those terms, the deal may actually be quite restricted in real economic terms.

Carl Bildt, the former Swedish prime minister and co-chair of the European council on foreign relations, told BBC News that the mineral seems like a “sideshow” and was mostly designed to “keep Mr Trump happy.”

“But it is not going to give a lot of money to the U.S., and I don’t see it having any materially economic effect for very many years,” Bildt told the BBC.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Will Gretsky contributed to this report.

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(LONDON) — President Donald Trump’s pursuit of a deal to access Ukrainian mineral resources has upended America’s transatlantic ties in recent weeks, with the White House unsettling European allies and Ukrainian partners with a push for future profits.

Trump on Tuesday lauded the draft agreement as a “very big deal,” one that he said will grant Kyiv “military equipment and the right to fight on.”

Various estimates suggest there could be hundreds of billions — perhaps even trillions — of dollars worth of rare earth minerals under Ukrainian soil. Among them are thought to be significant deposits of lithium, titanium, copper, nickel, cobalt, graphite and uranium.

Just before Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his nation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Svetlana Grinchuk said her nation was one to “about 5% of all the world’s ‘critical raw materials.'”

Nonetheless, there is a paucity of information on the extent and accessibility of Ukrainian mineral resources.

“Unfortunately, there is no modern assessment” of rare earth reserves in Ukraine, Roman Opimakh — the former director general of the Ukrainian Geological Survey — told S&P Global Commodity Insights this month. “And there is still restriction to make this information public.” Current estimates are based on Soviet-era mapping and exploration methods, he added.

Indeed, the section of the Ukraine’s State Service of Geology and Subsoil website detailing the country’s potential reserves is not currently accessible. “In accordance with legal requirements, open access to this section of the site is limited for the period of martial law,” a message reads.

The resources that are there will not necessarily be easy to reach, Gracelin Baskaran and Meredith Schwartz of the Center for Strategic and International Studies wrote this month.

The financial returns of Trump’s would-be deal are “unlikely to be consequential in the medium term given the barriers to investment,” they wrote.

The war has wiped out “essential” mining infrastructure, they added, as well as the power generating capabilities needed to feed intensive mining projects. “There will need to be a significant buildout of energy infrastructure” for mineral exploration or production to commence,” the authors said.

The development of a single mine can cost up to $4 million, Oleksandr Vodoviz — the head of the chief executive officer’s office at Metinvest Group — said. Developing a facility akin to the coking coal plant in Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine — which is the largest enterprise in Ukraine — would require around $10 billion.

Persistent security risks may also deter required investment. “While Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy may reach a peace deal, the threat of further conflict and land expropriation will loom given the long-standing nature of the conflict,” Baskaran and Schwartz said.

The geographical spread of Ukraine’s minerals complicates the security picture. Many concentrations of the most valuable resources are in the east of the country, including in territory currently occupied by Russian forces and along the devastated front line, within range of Russian weapons.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, seemingly aware of the global appeal of Ukraine’s natural resources, cited them in his October 2024 “Victory Plan.”

The fourth of its five points noted Ukrainian natural resources as “our opportunity for growth,” and offered its strategic partners investment opportunities in this arena. This point also had a secret annex that was only shared with designated partners.

The U.S. is set to lead the foreign investment charge. A senior Ukrainian official told ABC News on Tuesday that the two sides had agreed the terms of the proposed deal.

Trump did not confirm the U.S. had agreed, instead telling reporters he had heard that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit Washington, D.C., to finalize the compact on Friday. “It’s OK with me if he’d like to,” Trump said.

The president has framed the minerals deal as a means to recoup American wartime aid to Ukraine, claiming — without offering evidence — that the U.S. has contributed $350 billion to Kyiv over three years.

The deal foresees the creation of a jointly-owned U.S.-Ukrainian reconstruction investment fund, through which resources can be owned and developed.

A Ukrainian government source told ABC News that the latest version of the agreement does not include the initial U.S. demand of access to resources worth $500 billion, nor the opening position that the U.S. would entirely own the proposed investment fund.

It also appears that the resources the agreement does not cover resources that currently contribute to the Ukrainian budget — that means no oil and gas, or likely the majority of the country’s mineral resources.

Carl Bildt, the former Swedish prime minister and co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, told BBC News the mineral deal seems like a “sideshow” and mostly designed to “keep Mr. Trump happy.”

“But it is not going to give a lot of money to the U.S., and I don’t see it having any materially economic effect for very many years,” Bildt said.

Ukraine is demanding security guarantees as part of the deal, though ABC News understands that provision is not currently part of the draft agreement. Zelenskyy and Trump are expected to discuss the issue when the former travels to Washington, D.C. on Friday.

ABC News’ Will Gretsky, Patrick Reevell and Natalia Popova contributed to this report.

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(KYIV) — A Ukrainian official described to ABC News details of a potential U.S.-Ukraine mineral deal, sharing points that appear to suggest Kyiv has succeeded in significantly improving the terms, perhaps staring down some of the Trump administration’s more onerous demands.

The $500 billion demanded by Trump no longer features in the draft, a Ukrainian official told ABC News. The fund that Ukraine will pay into is also no longer going to be 100% U.S. owned, the official said.

The two countries have agreed to a deal relating to critical minerals and other resources, a senior Ukrainian official said on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump did not confirm the U.S. had agreed, instead saying he had heard Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit Washington, D.C., to finalize the deal on Friday and that “it’s OK with me if he’d like to.”

The terms of a final agreement haven’t yet been disclosed.

The Ukrainian official said the resources that the agreement will apply to are only those not currently contributing to the Ukrainian budget, which means no oil and gas, or likely the majority of the country’s mineral resources.

If the final deal remains close to those terms, the deal may actually be quite restricted in real economic terms.

Carl Bildt, the former Swedish prime minister and co-chair of the European council on foreign relations, told BBC News that the mineral seems like a “sideshow” and was mostly designed to “keep Mr Trump happy.”

“But it is not going to give a lot of money to the U.S., and I don’t see it having any materially economic effect for very many years,” Bildt told the BBC.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Will Gretsky contributed to this report.

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(LONDON) — A U.S. naval base in Italy was briefly placed on lockdown on Wednesday due to an “security incident,” officials said.

Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily said its shelter-in-place order was cleared at about 11:25 a.m., more than 3 hours after it first posted about an “ongoing situation” at an entry control point.

“We are grateful to our Navy Security Force personnel for their quick response,” the base said, without offering details on the nature of the incident.

The base said in an earlier social media post that a “lockdown/shelter-in-place remains in effect.” Traffic into and out of the base had been “secured” at that time, but was later reopened, the base said.

Signolla supports dozens of U.S. military commands from several branches, including the Navy, Army, Marine Corp and Air Force. NATO commands are also supported by the base.

The air base has been in operation since 1957 and covers some 1,300 acres over four main sites.

ABC News’ Joe Simonetti and Zoe Magee contributed to this report.

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(LONDON) — Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down 130 Ukrainian drones on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, in what appears to be among Kyiv’s largest ever long-range strike into Russian territory.

Moscow said that 85 Ukrainian drones were shot down over the southern Russian region of Krasnodar Krai, with 30 more over Crimea. Another eight drones were downed over the Sea of ​​Azov, five over the Black Sea and one each over Bryansk and Kursk regions, the ministry said.

The drones over Krasnodar appeared to mass around the Black Sea port of Tuapse, which sits between the resort city of Sochi and the Russian naval base at Novorossiysk.

Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev said several houses in the Krasnodar Krai region were damaged by drone strikes or falling debris.

Andriy Kovalenko, the head of the Counter-Disinformation Center operating as part of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said on Telegram that Russian authorities “reported an attack on the seaport in Tuapse,” which he described as “one of the key cargo ports of the Russian Federation on the Black Sea.”

“There is an oil terminal there — one of the largest in Russia,” Kovalenko added. “Oil and oil products are transported through the port, which makes it important for the Russian energy industry.”

Kovalenko said the port processes significant volumes of coal, mineral fertilizers, metal products and grain, plus serves as a rail and logistics hub for Russia’s central and southern regions.

“The port plays an important role in supporting military logistics,” Kovalenko wrote. “It is used to transport equipment, ammunition and fuel for military needs. It provides logistical support to the ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, in particular those involved in the war against Ukraine.”

Ukraine’s air force, meanwhile, reported another night of Russian cross-border attacks on Tuesday night. The air force said Russia fired 177 drones into Ukraine, of which 110 were shot down and 66 were lost in flight.

The air force reported engagements in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad and Sumy regions.

 

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(ROME) — The pope spent another ‘quiet night’ in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he has been recovering from a bout with bronchitis since Feb. 14, the Vatican said early Wednesday.

Pope Francis’ condition remains “critical but stable,” Vatican officials said in a brief update on Tuesday.

“There have been no acute respiratory episodes and hemodynamic parameters continue to be stable. In the evening, he underwent a scheduled CT scan for radiological monitoring of the bilateral pneumonia. The prognosis remains uncertain,” the Vatican said Tuesday.

Vatican officials said Sunday he remained in critical condition but officials said that he had shown a “slight improvement” on Monday.

Further updates on the pontiff’s condition are expected on Wednesday.

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(LONDON) — Israel confirmed it is conducting strikes in southern Syria, as the new Syrian government calls for the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Syrian territory.

“We will not allow southern Syria to become southern Lebanon,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said regarding the strikes. “Any attempt by the Syrian regime forces and the country’s terrorist organizations to establish themselves in the security zone in southern Syria will be met with fire.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(BELIZE) — Police in Belize are investigating after three young American women were found dead in their hotel room at a luxury beachfront resort last weekend.

The women — identified as 23-year-old Koutar Naqqad, 24-year-old Imane Mallah and 26-year-old Wafae El-Arar — were found dead at the Royal Kahal Beach Resort in San Pedro on Saturday morning.

The investigation into the cause of their deaths is underway, but Belize’s police commissioner said on Tuesday that carbon monoxide poisoning and possible overdoses are being considered.

Officials noted that alcohol and gummies were found in the hotel room. “We’ve had issues with gummies in the past being resold and sending people to the hospital,” the commissioner said in a statement.

An autopsy is being conducted Tuesday, according to police.

The commissioner said authorities reviewed surveillance footage from the resort that showed the women entering the hotel Thursday evening and they were not seen leaving the room again.

Additionally, nobody was seen entering the women’s room in the footage, according to the police.

The hotel told authorities that nobody answered the door when housekeeping arrived on Friday, so they left.

Police said the women could have been dead in the hotel for approximately 20 hours before they were found.

The women, originally from Morrocco, lived in Revere, Massachusetts.

“The City of Revere extends our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the three local women who tragically and unexpectedly passed away in Belize,” the city wrote on Facebook on Monday.

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(ROME and LONDON) — Pope Francis’s condition remains “critical but stable,” Vatican officials said in a brief update on Tuesday.

“There have been no acute respiratory episodes and hemodynamic parameters continue to be stable. In the evening, he underwent a scheduled CT scan for radiological monitoring of the bilateral pneumonia. The prognosis remains uncertain,” the Vatican said Tuesday.

The pope resumed his work activities after receiving the Eucharist.

The pope “rested well, all night long,” sleeping without interruption, Vatican sources told ABC News. He woke up on Tuesday and continued his usual therapies, the sources said.

Francis, 88, has been hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital since Feb. 14 following a bout with bronchitis.

Vatican officials said Sunday he remained in critical condition. Officials said on Monday that he had shown a “slight improvement.”

The pontiff, who has led the Catholic Church since 2013, was diagnosed with pneumonia last Tuesday, according to the Vatican.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(LONDON) — When she left her home in Gaza City 16 months ago, Tala Herzallah didn’t think she was seeing it for the last time.

Now, walking in the rubble of what used to be her house, the 22-year-old Palestinian can barely recognize the place where she spent most of her life.

“It pains me to say it, but I only can recognize a wall from my home. Just one wall,” she told ABC News. “Otherwise, everything just disappeared as if it wasn’t there.”

Herzallah, an English student at the Islamic University of Gaza, packed her school bag and a few of her most treasured belongings as she evacuated after incessant bombing hit her neighborhood, Tel Al-Hawa.

The northern part of Gaza was the first target of Israel’s retaliatory strikes following the Hamas-led October 2023 terror attack and remained the scene of some of the fiercest fighting. Multiple ground operations and relentless airstrikes damaged or destroyed most of the buildings. 

Its residents were forced to evacuate. The lack of aid, medical care and basic resources made life impossible for those who stayed behind.

Still, as soon as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was announced in January, hundreds of thousands made their way back north.

Those that have returned have been shocked by the devastation: their houses and belongings were mostly reduced to rubble and the signs of a humanitarian crisis are apparent on every corner.

But when Herzallah looked behind from her car, as bombs fell across the road that was taking her and her parents to a safer place in the south, she still hoped to return to north Gaza as she always knew it: colorful, vibrant and full of life.

That hope never faded, but with every month of war that went by, Herzallah said she knew there would be nothing waiting for her in Tel Al-Hawa.

“I know that it was destroyed. But until the last moment, I had this tiny hope that no, it won’t be destroyed. The pictures they showed me, I didn’t trust them,” she told ABC News. “I told myself, when I will reach it, it will be good.”

But it was not. As for millions of Palestinians in Gaza, Israel’s war changed everything for Herzallah.

Her house was reduced to rubble. Her education was paused as her university was destroyed and her beloved professor, Dr. Refaat Alareer, killed in an Israeli airstrike.

She was separated from her family, with her brothers in different parts of Gaza and her nephews abroad. She lost all her privacy, having to share a bathroom with more than 20 people for months.

“I don’t want to remember these days. I don’t want to remember how much I suffered because each time I remember these details, I feel that we’re not human beings,” she said. “No human being can tolerate and bear this much of pain and suffering.”

More than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, the Hamas-run Health Ministry reported, and 1.9 million people have been displaced, according to the United Nations.

Unable to process her present, Herzallah said she sometimes struggles to envision her future. Especially when the future she thought she would have had, if the war had not happened, gets in the way of planning anything else.

Entering her school’s campus for the first time since the war began, Herzallah found it changed to a shocking degree.

The Islamic University of Gaza, where she studied English Literature and Translation for the past three years, was hit by an Israeli airstrike on Oct. 10, 2023, as seen in a video shared by the Israeli military. They claimed Hamas used it as a base.

“It was always colorful. Colored with smiles, laughs,” Herzallah said, surrounded by burnt seats and a damaged stage. “I’ve never imagined to enter this place and see it as black as darkness. Pain is everywhere.”

Holding a graduation hat covered in dust, Herzallah said she felt all her losses.

“The first time I came to university, I dreamed of graduation day, of taking photos here with my family, siblings and professors,” she said. “Now I am graduating with nothing.”

Still, Herzallah said her dreams are “stuck between and among this rubble,” in her education. She received a scholarship to pursue her master’s degree in the U.S., which she sees as a second chance to make up for lost time and opportunities.

But she needs to leave Gaza first. Ceasefire talks are ongoing, but a permanent end to the war has yet to be agreed and Gaza’s borders remain closed.

Surrounded by unpredictability and hardship, one certainty remains for Herzallah: that if help is given, Palestinians can rebuild.

“We are strong enough to build it again. But the point is that we need a lot of things to help us. We need a lot of machines and other stuff,” she said.

To President Donald Trump’s proposal that the U.S. take over Gaza, Herzallah has a clear answer: provide the tools and then leave Gaza to Palestinians. She added his comments felt like a slap on her face after everything her people experienced.

“The relationship between Palestinians and their land is like the relationship between any mother and her sons,” Herzallah said. “Even if they leave their mother for a period of time, they will return at last to her hug and her embrace.”

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