WASHINGTON, Feb 3 - President Donald Trump on Monday indicated that he wants to reach an agreement with Ukraine to gain access to the country’s rare earth materials as a condition for continuing U.S. support for its war against Russia.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump complained that the U.S. had sent more in military and economic assistance to Ukraine than its European partners, adding, “We’re looking to do a deal with Ukraine where they’re going to secure what we’re giving them with their rare earth and other things,” The Associated Press reported.

Trump suggested that he’s received word from the Ukrainian government that they’d be willing to make a deal to give the U.S. access to the elements critical to the modern high-tech economy.

“I want to have security of rare earth,” Trump added. “We’re putting in hundreds of billions of dollars. They have great rare earth. And I want security of the rare earth, and they’re willing to do it.”

Trump, who had previously said he’d bring about a rapid end to the war, said talks are ongoing to bring the conflict to a close.

“We made a lot of progress on Russia, Ukraine,” Trump said. “We’ll see what happens. We’re going to stop that ridiculous war.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the Associated Press on Saturday that any negotiations between the U.S. and Russia but without his country were unacceptable.

“They may have their own relations, but talking about Ukraine without us — it is dangerous for everyone,” Zelenskyy said.

He said his team has been in contact with the Trump administration, but those discussions are at a “general level,” and he believes in-person meetings will take place soon to develop more detailed agreements.

“We need to work more on this,” Zelenskyy said. (ap/ez)