U.S. still expecting Ukraine to sign rare earths deal - White House

WASHINGTON. Feb 25 (Interfax) - Washington has no doubt that Kiev will take the rare earths deal, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday.

"It's critical that this deal is signed. He [Trump] expects president Zelensky to sign a deal," Leavitt said at a press briefing.

She added that Washington did not receive new information regarding the deal in the past 24 hours.

In turn, the Financial Times said on Tuesday, citing Ukrainian officials that, to its knowledge, Kiev and Washington had agreed on the terms of the rare earths deal.

"Ukrainian officials said Kiev was ready to sign the agreement on jointly developing its mineral resources, including oil and gas, after the U.S. dropped demands for a right to $500bn in potential revenue from the deal," the newspaper said.

It said the deal had been approved by several Ukrainian ministries but it had not been discussed in parliament.

The deal text of February 24 does not have a provision on U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, the newspaper said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier that he was hoping Ukraine would sign the deal very soon.