White House advises Zelensky to ease Trump criticism and pursue rare earths deal

The White House has advised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to reduce his criticism of former President Trump. National security adviser Mike Waltz called Zelensky's remarks "unacceptable" and emphasized the importance of a proposed rare earths deal valued at $500 billion. Waltz stated that the deal would provide significant security guarantees for Ukraine. He expressed disappointment over Zelensky's rejection of U.S. offers and suggested that the Ukrainian president should not take offense at being excluded from recent U.S.-Russia talks. Zelensky, meanwhile, has expressed a desire for a strong partnership with the U.S. on investment and security. He emphasized Ukraine's commitment to achieving lasting peace amid ongoing Russian airstrikes.