Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 18.　Ukraine's first deputy prime minister and Minister of Economic Affairs Sverrikenko posted on social media late at night on the 17th that Ukraine and the United States signed a memorandum of intention on the mineral agreement online that day.

　　On the same day, the United States, Ukraine and Europe held talks on the Ukraine issue in Paris, and French President Macron called the talks "active and constructive." Russia said on the same day that negotiations on the Ukraine issue were "quite difficult".　　

　　On February 28, at the White House in Washington, USA, US President Trump quarreled with Ukrainian President Zelensky. Xinhua News Agency/Fast News

The specific details of the memorandum were not disclosed

　　Sverrigenko said the memorandum reflects the "constructive work" of the negotiation teams between the two countries and the desire of both sides to formulate and reach an economic partnership agreement that is "good for both peoples" (i.e., mineral agreement). But Sverrigenko did not disclose the specific details of the memorandum.

　　Sverycinko said the next work is to finalize the text of the mineral agreement and sign the agreement, and the signed agreement will be handed over to the US Congress and the Ukrainian Supreme Lada (Parliament) for review and approval. She also said that Ukraine and the United States are currently preparing to establish a Ukrainian reconstruction investment fund.

　　According to Ukrainian media reports, US President Trump said during a meeting with visiting Italian Prime Minister Meloni on the 17th that the United States and Ukraine may sign a mineral agreement next Thursday (24th).

  On April 17, US President Trump (center left) welcomed visiting Italian Prime Minister Meloni (center right) at the White House in the capital Washington. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Hu Yousong

　　Earlier, Zelensky said in his video speech on the evening of the 16th that the "basic legal content" of the mineral agreement between Ukraine and the United States has been basically finalized. If everything can be promoted "rapid and constructively", the agreement "will bring economic results to both countries."

　　According to Ukrainian International Telecommunications Agency on the 16th, after consultation with the technical teams of Ukraine and the United States, the US government "softweaked" its position to demand Ukraine to repay Ukraine's war aid, reducing the amount of aid to Ukraine from the previous 300 billion US dollars to 100 billion US dollars.

France says US, Ukraine and Europe's "first tablemate" consultation

　　French President Macron posted on social media on the 17th that representatives from the United States, Ukraine, France, the United Kingdom and Germany held talks on the Ukrainian issue in Paris that day. French Foreign Minister Barrow told the media that this is the first time that the United States, Ukraine and Europe are sitting at the same table" to discuss the Ukrainian issue.

　　According to media reports, this Trump administration has previously excluded Europe during negotiations on Russia-Ukraine.

  On March 26, French President Macron (left) welcomed the visiting Ukrainian President Zelensky at the Elysee Palace in the Presidential Palace in Paris. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Gao Jing

　　Macron met with the visiting US Secretary of State Rubio that day. Rubio held a meeting with the foreign ministers of Ukraine, France and Britain, as well as officials of the German Foreign Ministry to discuss the Ukrainian issue on the same day. Macron said the talks were "positive and constructive."

　　Rubio posted on social media that his trip was to find "real and feasible solutions" to end the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. According to a spokesman for the US State Department, Rubio also spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on the same day to inform him of the talks in Paris.

　　Barrow said that follow-up talks (on the Ukraine issue) will be held in London, England next week.

Russia calls ceasefire in Ukraine "unrealistic"

　　Russian Presidential Press Secretary Peskov said on the 17th that negotiations on the Ukraine issue were "quite difficult".

  This is the exterior of the Kremlin shot in Moscow, the Russian capital, on March 18. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Bai Xueqi

　　TASS quoted Peskov as saying that Russia is currently focusing on contact with the United States, and Russia believes that Russia and the United States are the main way to resolve the Ukrainian issue. He said that Europe insisted on continuing military operations, and Ukraine also did its own thing, which is why the negotiations were not going well.

　　On the 17th, TASS also quoted Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebianja as saying that as Ukraine continues to crack down on Russia's energy infrastructure, the ceasefire in Ukraine is "unrealistic".

　　Russian Presidential Assistant Ushakov said on the 17th that Russia and the United States are negotiating on the phone again on the two presidents, but no agreement has been reached. There was no consensus on the location and time of the bilateral meeting between the two. (Reporters: Qiao Benxiao, Li Dongxu, Liu Kai)

[Editor in charge: Liu Zhongling Yu Shenfang]