Just days before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was set to visit Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly considered calling off the meeting—only to change his mind after speaking with French President Emmanuel Macron.
This was reported by the French broadcaster network BFMTV on February 27, citing a French diplomatic source.
Last-Minute Uncertainty
Zelensky’s visit, scheduled for February 28, was nearly derailed when the Ukrainian government received a message from Washington on February 26 stating that the meeting would no longer take place.
The abrupt cancellation followed weeks of pressure from Trump’s administration, demanding Ukraine finalize a controversial minerals deal.
Trump had also publicly attacked Zelensky on February 19, calling him a “dictator without elections” and warning that he needed to “move fast, or he won’t have a country left.”
According to BFMTV, Zelensky reached out to Macron for help, and the French president personally intervened during his own visit to Washington on February 24. Macron, who has been vocal about European security commitments to Ukraine, reportedly convinced Trump to move forward with the meeting.
On February 26, the U.S. president reversed course, officially confirming that Zelensky would visit Washington on February 28.
Ukraine’s Minerals Deal Moves Forward
Zelensky’s visit comes as Ukraine and the U.S. reached a deal establishing a fund where Ukraine will contribute 50% of proceeds from the "future monetization" of state-owned mineral resources, including oil, gas, and infrastructure.
Initially, Zelensky refused to sign the deal because it lacked security guarantees from Washington.
However, he later agreed, with the understanding that discussions on security commitments would take place in future negotiations.
While the finalized agreement does not contain explicit U.S. security guarantees, it does mention Washington’s support for Ukraine’s efforts to secure them.
