‘I have a lot of respect for him,’ Trump says of Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in the United States on Thursday ahead of talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on an agreement to develop minerals and rare earths, Interfax Ukraine news agency reported, quoting flight data.

Donald Trump took a softer tone on Ukraine truce talks on Thursday as he hosted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer — but refused to give any firm commitments on the US security guarantees Europe desperately wants.

In an upbeat meeting, the US president handed Starmer a win on a possible trade deal, while the British leader pandered to Trump’s love of the royal family with an invitation for a state visit from King Charles III.

Trump, who has alarmed European capitals with his sudden pivot toward Russia, said there had been “a lot of progress” towards a deal to end the conflict in Ukraine and that negotiations were at a crucial stage.

“It’ll either be fairly soon, or it won’t be at all,” Trump told a press conference with Starmer.

The US president played down an earlier rift with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which had compounded fears that Trump would exclude Ukraine from negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I have a lot of respect for him,” Trump said of Zelensky.