Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski He said he hoped to reach an agreement on crucial minerals with the US at the Munich Conference on Security Later this week, after a leading US official presented a first draft agreement in Kiev on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

Zelenski said in a joint press conference that he had a productive and constructive debate with US Finance Minister Scott Besed. He also said that they did not discuss the natural resources in the Ukrainian territories held by Russia.

US Finance Minister Scott Bessed, for his part, said today that a critical agreement on minerals between Kiev and Washington could leave Ukraine a “security shield” as soon as the war with Russia ended.

Bessed described his visit as proof that the Trump government is determined to end the war and as a message that the US is standing by Ukraine against Russian aggression.