The first UDCG meeting of the year is set to unfold in Brussels on Wednesday, marking a pivotal moment in international efforts to support Ukraine amidst ongoing tensions with Russia. The United States delegation plans to urge European allies to assume greater financial responsibility in their support for Ukraine. Concurrently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that discussions are taking place between him and U.S. President Donald Trump, hinting at a potential deal involving rare earth and mineral resources from Ukraine in exchange for continued U.S. support.
The U.S. delegation, which includes high-profile officials such as Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will push for Europe to shoulder more of the financial burden in aiding Ukraine. The U.S., having provided $65.9 billion in military aid and substantial financial and humanitarian assistance since the Russian invasion began in 2022, aims to recalibrate the dynamics of international support. Meanwhile, the European Union has contributed approximately 48.3 billion euros ($49.8 billion) in military support.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's attendance at the UDCG meeting signals a notable shift, as it will be the first time in three years that the defense secretary is not chairing the group. This change, coupled with the U.K.'s role in convening the meeting, underscores a strategic U.S. decision to step back from its leadership role regarding Ukraine, encouraging Europe to assume more responsibility.
The Pentagon stated that the U.S. will "engage with NATO Allies and partners to discuss the need to boost Allied defense spending, increase European leadership, and expand defense industrial base capacity on both sides of the Atlantic." This reflects a broader strategy to involve European nations more deeply in addressing security challenges posed by the conflict.
President Trump has suggested that Ukraine could potentially lose its sovereignty to Russia, expressing his desire for compensation for the aid provided by the U.S. He remarked, "They may make a deal. They may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday. But we're going to have all this money in there [Ukraine] and I say, I want it back."
In a significant development, President Trump announced that the U.S. had "essentially agreed" on a deal with Ukraine to receive rare earth and mineral resources, which are crucial for electronics manufacturing, in return for ongoing support. He elaborated, "I told them that I want the equivalent of like $500 billion worth of rare earth (minerals), and they've essentially agreed to do that."
Michael Waltz, a prominent figure in U.S.-Ukraine relations, emphasized the importance of recouping costs through collaboration with Ukraine on natural resources. He stated, "We need to recoup those costs and that is going to be a partnership with the Ukrainians in terms of their natural resources and their oil and gas and also buying ours."
President Zelenskyy expressed optimism about upcoming talks with President Trump, acknowledging ongoing efforts to schedule their dialogue. Zelenskyy noted, "Our teams are working on our dialogue, on the conversation between me and President Trump. He has spoken about this, and I don't think there's any secret about it."
The prospect of securing a diplomatic resolution remains central to U.S. objectives. The Pentagon reiterated President Trump's commitment to ending the war diplomatically while stressing the necessity for increased European leadership in providing security assistance to Ukraine.
This week, U.S. officials are scheduled to visit Kyiv before attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany, further underscoring their commitment to fostering international dialogue on Ukrainian security.