European leaders from multiple countries gathered in Kiev on Monday (February 24th) to commemorate the third anniversary of the full-scale war between Ukraine and Russia, demonstrating unwavering support for Ukraine. At the same time, negotiations between Ukraine and the United States on a mineral resources agreement are entering their final stages, but the United States' security commitments remain controversial. The attitude of the Trump administration has raised concerns about the direction of US Russia relations, while Europe has called for stronger unity to ensure Ukraine's long-term security.

1. European leaders gather in Kiev to demonstrate solidarity and support

At the commemorative summit held in Kiev, President Zelensky of Ukraine welcomed the arrival of leaders from Canada, Denmark, Iceland and other countries, including President von der Leyen of the European Commission, President Costa of the European Council. Zelensky emphasized that peace cannot rely on Putin's "gift", but needs to be won through strength, wisdom, and unity. European leaders delivered speeches at the summit, calling for increased support for Ukraine and emphasizing the urgency of increasing defense spending.

2. Negotiations on the US Ukraine mineral agreement enter the final stage

The negotiations between Ukraine and the United States on the mineral resources agreement have entered a critical stage. After meeting with French President Macron, Trump stated that Zelensky may soon travel to Washington to sign the agreement and hinted that the Ukraine conflict could end within a few weeks. However, the agreement did not include the explicit security assurances sought by Ukraine from the United States, and Trump handed over the "core role" of ensuring Ukraine's long-term security to Europe. This attitude has raised concerns about the direction of US Russia relations, especially as Trump seems to accept some of the Kremlin's statements and may make far-reaching concessions to Putin.

3. Agreement disputes and Ukraine's insistence

Ukrainian government sources have revealed that Kiev has issued a "final adjustment" proposal to the United States and is waiting for feedback from the US. Zelensky refused to sign the draft on Ukrainian mineral deposits in advance, protesting against insufficient US aid and lack of security guarantees. Washington has reservations about including security language in the agreement, while Ukraine insists on the United States providing clear security commitments. This controversy has led to a deadlock in the agreement negotiations and highlighted Ukraine's difficult situation in seeking international support.

4. Europe calls on the United States to maintain its participation

French President Macron stated at the summit that it is time to negotiate with Putin, but emphasized that the United States must remain involved and peace must be built on full guarantees of Ukraine's sovereignty. Macron's remarks reflect Europe's complex position on the Ukraine issue: on the one hand, it hopes to take on more responsibility, and on the other hand, it still relies on the support of the United States. Trump's attitude appears ambiguous, as he only said "we'll wait and see" when asked if Ukraine should cede territory to end the war, further fueling concerns about a possible compromise between the US and Russia.

Summary:

The Kiev summit demonstrated Europe's solidarity and support for Ukraine, but the deadlock in the US Ukraine mineral agreement negotiations and the ambiguous attitude of the Trump administration cast a shadow over Ukraine's future. Europe calls for stronger unity and increased aid to Ukraine, but US involvement remains key to achieving peace. In the future, whether Ukraine can maintain its sovereignty and security while seeking international support will depend on whether all parties can reach a balance in negotiations.

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the uncertainty of the US Ukraine mineral agreement negotiations may exacerbate market concerns about geopolitical risks in Europe. Investors tend to turn to safe haven assets such as the US dollar and gold when uncertainty increases, which may put short-term pressure on the euro.

The impact of the Ukrainian war on Europe's energy supply, especially natural gas, has not been completely eliminated. If the situation worsens, energy prices may rise again, increasing inflationary pressure in the eurozone and weakening the euro.