US President Donald Trump says his country is "pretty close" to striking a deal with Ukraine that would grant the United States access to Ukrainian mineral resources as compensation for defense aid.



Trump spoke at a conservative political gathering near Washington on Saturday.



Trump said the US will get back the money it has spent on defense aid for Ukraine, because it is "not fair." He also said, "we're asking for rare earth, oil, anything we can get."



US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sent an opinion piece to Britain's Financial Times on Saturday. He said the US proposed that revenue received by the Ukrainian government from natural resources and other assets be allocated to a fund focused on the long-term reconstruction and development of Ukraine.



He went on to explain that the US will have economic and governance rights in those future investments.



Trump has recently lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling him a "dictator without elections," apparently out of dissatisfaction that an agreement has yet to be reached with Kyiv over mineral resources.



Some US media outlets say an agreement could help ease tensions between the two leaders.