We can now bring you some more comments from President Trump's interview on Fox News.

Trump speaks about Ukraine's President Zelensky and says: "I've been watching him negotiate with no cards. He has no cards and you get sick of it...I've had it," he says.

The US president says Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's trip to Ukraine for a minerals deal was a "wasted trip, a dangerous trip too, I didn't like it," he says, before comparing Ukraine to Gaza.

The host, Brian Kilmeade from Fox News, challenges Trump when he addresses the devastation in Ukraine and says "that's Vladimir Putin's fault, don't you agree?"

Trump says Zelensky complains about not being at meetings and adds, the Ukrainian president has been at meetings for three years "and nothing got done so I don't think he's very important to be at meetings".

"He's been there for three years...look what's happened to his country, it's been demolished," he says.

US President Donald Trump has said that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have not done anything to end Russia's war with Ukraine.

Speaking on a Fox News podcast, Trump was asked about his upcoming meetings with Starmer and Macron and interrupted the host saying, "They didn't do anything...no meetings with Russia!"

"They haven't done anything," Trumps adds.

"Macron's a friend of mine", he continued, adding that Starmer was "a very nice guy" but that neither of them have done anything on Russia.

Image source, Reuters

As we've reported, the White House says it is keen for Ukraine to sign a deal giving the US access to its rare earth minerals.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected US demands for a share of its minerals - a "deal" Trump said would reflect the amount of aid the US had provided to Ukraine during its war with Russia.

The minerals in question would include metals such as titanium, uranium and lithium. These materials are used in a variety of industries including medicine, aerospace, sports equipment and jewellery.

On the deal, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz said: "We presented the Ukrainians really an incredible, and a historic opportunity," adding that it was "the best" security guarantee Ukraine could hope for.

The US is among countries looking to reduce their dependency on China and so tap into other mineral reserves. Overall, Ukraine ranks among the top five globally in terms of assessed value of natural resources.

Ukraine has deposits of 117 of the 120 most widely used minerals and metals in the world - with up to 50% of all Ukraine’s rare earth supplies in the eastern part of the country.

Zelensky has refused the offer, saying: "I can't sell our state."

• Watch: The fight for Ukraine's critical minerals

US president Donald Trump has said that he does not think it is "important" that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky be present at peace talks with Russia.

Speaking on Fox News, Trump said of Zelensky, "I don't think he's very important to be in meetings".

The US president added, "He makes it very hard to make deals."

Washington is keen for Zelensky to sign a deal giving the US access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals, with White House adviser Mike Waltz insisting the Ukrainian president will sign a deal "in the very short term".

Reports in US media suggest some progress has been made on the deal, but as things stand Zelensky has so far rejected it.

His refusal has centred on two things. He wants an agreement to include a specific security guarantee from the US. So far, he says, US proposals have not provided this.

He also says Washington is asking for too much.

Zelensky said he had rejected a deal that would have given the US $500bn in Ukraine's rare earths in exchange for its wartime aid so far. But US support throughout the war has not amounted to this, he said.

"You can't call this 500 billion and ask us to return 500 billion in minerals or something else. This is not a serious conversation," he said on Wednesday.

"I defend Ukraine," he added. "I can't sell our country."

• Zelensky says Trump living in Russian 'disinformation space'

Image source, Reuters

US Vice President JD Vance has backed Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has accused Volodymyr Zelensky of backtracking about how the minerals deal was discussed last week.

In an interview with American journalist Catherine Herridge, Rubio says that Zelensky agreed in principle to the deal that would see the US take a share of Ukraine's rare earth minerals in payment for previous and ongoing aid.

"[Zelensky] said: "Sure, we want to do this deal, it makes all the sense in the world, the only thing is I need to run it through my legislative process - they have to approve it," Rubio says.

"I read two days later that Zelensky is out there saying: "I rejected the deal, I told them no way, we're not doing that", but that's not what happened in that meeting. So, you start to get upset," he says.

Vance reposted a clip of the interview, external on his X account, saying "What Secretary Rubio is saying here is exactly right."

Zelensky has argued the deal is "not a serious conversation" as it did not include adequate security provisions for Ukraine and refused to "sell" his country.

Special envoy Keith Kellogg was also present at the meeting in Munich, but has not commented on the contents.

The extent of US envoy's influence is questionablepublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 21 February

15:33 GMT 21 February

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent

Image source, Reuters

For two days, Donald Trump has been bashing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, labelling him an unelected “dictator” and accusing him of massive corruption.

On Friday, Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, struck a decidedly different tone, calling the Ukrainian president an “embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war”.

Zelensky said that his meeting with the retired general “restores hope” after a few days where it appeared US-Ukrainian relations were in danger of a dramatic rupture.

It may be too early for the Ukrainians to breath a full sigh of relief, however.

Despite being picked by Trump, the extent of Kellogg’s influence within the administration is questionable.

He was not present in Riyadh earlier this week for US Secretary of State’s Marco Rubio’s meeting with Russians – billed as a first step toward bilateral talks to end the war in Ukraine.

And four weeks into his presidency, Trump has shown that the only reliable voice for America’s foreign policy is his own.

Mike Waltz goes on to defend President Trump, saying he's been talking to European allies, including French President Emmanuel Macron, who is expected to visit the US along with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer next week.

"We are engaging all of our European allies, absolutely. The Nato secretary general and I just spoke," he says. "You establish peace through strength."

He adds that the US has been demanding that the Europeans "step up" and "contribute to their own defence".

The White House national security adviser has now concluded his Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) interview.

Image source, CPAC

Waltz is asked about a deal that would grant the US access to Ukraine's rare minerals, which Zelensky has so far rejected.

"President Zelensky is going to sign that deal," says Waltz. "And you will see that in the very short term."

He adds that this will be good for Ukraine, and it would "recoup the hundreds of billions of dollars that have been invested in this war" for the US taxpayer.

We can now bring you an update from the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), where White House Security Adviser Mike Waltz is being interviewed on stage.

Waltz is asked how negotiations to end the Ukraine war are going between Trump and Putin.

He says he listened in on Trump's phone calls with Putin and Zelensky last week, and says he heard both leaders say "only Trump" could end the war.

"Under Trump, this war will end and it will end soon," he says. He calls Trump the "president of peace".

We are seeing some reports that there may be developments in the proposed mineral deal between Ukraine and the US.

The initial deal, put forward by Donald Trump, suggested that Ukraine would supply the US with rare earth minerals as compensation for the aid the US has provided to Ukraine since Russia invaded in 2022, and ongoing war-time financial support.

Bloomberg reports that the original proposal suggested the US would take 50% of license sales and other proceeds from the minerals, which would violate Ukrainian laws. Now, it reports via a source in Kyiv, the Ukrainian side has put forward changes to the offer that would benefit both sides.

The AFP news agency similarly reports via an unnamed "senior Ukrainian official" that talks on the minerals deal are progressing. "There is a constant exchange of drafts, we sent another one yesterday," it reports the Kyiv source as saying, adding that Ukraine was now waiting for a US response.

A short while ago, we finished answering your questions with some of our correspondents here, but the crew over at Ukrainecast are going to be delving into the topic more on 5Live in the next few minutes.

Tune in to BBC Sounds to hear Vitaly Shevchenko, Lyse Doucet and James Waterhouse, who will be chatting to Ukrainecast listeners - or, you can follow along by pressing watch live above from 15:05 GMT.

Adam Easton
Warsaw Correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Polish President Andrzej Duda has advised Ukraine’s President Zelensky to continue co-operating with President Donald Trump.

"A few minutes ago, President Zelensky called me. We had a candid conversation on the heels of the recent meetings with General Kellogg and other developments," President Duda wrote on X.

"I conveyed to him that we consistently believe there is no other way to stop the bloodshed and achieve lasting peace in Ukraine except with the support of the United States.

“For this reason, I suggested to President Zelensky to remain committed to the course of calm and constructive co-operation with President Donald Trump.

"I trust that goodwill and honesty form the foundation of the US negotiation strategy. Have no doubt that President Trump is guided by a deep sense of responsibility for global stability and peace,” he added.

Image source, EPA

Donald Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg says he has held "extensive and positive" discussions with Volodymyr Zelensky.

"A long and intense day with the senior leadership of Ukraine. Extensive and positive discussions with Zelensky, the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war and his talented national security team," he writes on social media.

These are the first remarks from Kellogg about meeting Zelensky since the media - including the BBC - gathered for a news conference from the pair yesterday, only for it to be cancelled at the last minute and camera crews ushered out.

Let's bring you an update from the frontline.

Russia's defence ministry said a short while ago that its forces have captured the villages of Nadiyivka and Novosilka, both in the southern part of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, according to state-owned Tass news agency.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's armed forces said Russia "made three attempts to advance near Novosilka” in a post on Telegram, but doesn't mention if those attempts were successful.

The post also says Nadiyivka is among the locations where “enemy troops have been most active”.

This comes after Ukraine's military said it responded to an overnight attack of 160 Russian drones, which we reported on earlier.

Our correspondents have just finished answering your questions about the war in Ukraine following a turbulent week in US-Europe relations, shedding light on what has transpired and what to expect going forward.

Here's a recap of the questions you sent in:

• Kicking off the session, BBC Monitoring's Russia editor Vitaliy Shevchenko answered a question about the political history between Ukraine and Russia
• Another reader asked, will the US, UK and Europe end their special relationship? Chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet addressed this query, beginning by saying "We live at a hinge moment of history"
• Russia editor Steve Rosenberg answered the question, Why does Russia keep talking about Ukrainian elections?
• There were also a few questions about the US president, including what is Trump’s motive to side with Russia?
• Europe's potential response was also a focal point, with one reader asking, how can European leaders resist Trump's pressure?
• Another question focused around UK PM Keir Starmer's upcoming trip to the US: How can the UK navigate its relationship with the US administration which has seemingly sided with Russia?

Next up, our colleagues over at BBC 5 Live will also be answering questions from readers at 15:00 GMT, which you can follow live at the top of this page.

What do Americans think of their president's Ukraine criticism?published at 13:27 Greenwich Mean Time 21 February

13:27 GMT 21 February

Nomia Iqbal
North America correspondent

Christopher in Sunderland asks: "What do people inside America think of the deal and Trump’s criticism of Ukraine? Do they believe the rhetoric that Trump is claiming? Will the US completely shift its global foreign policy?"

I think a lot of President Trump’s supporters will be perfectly fine with the criticism.

This may be foreign policy to the rest of the world, but to them he is trying to deliver a domestic policy he promised on the campaign trail.

He said he would end the war in Ukraine - not quite on day one as he vowed though.

Last week I was in the swing state of Pennsylvania – Trump won it in 2024 – and there was some overlap between those who voted for him and those who didn’t: They want the US to stop sending money to Ukraine.

Many of them, however, admire President Zelensky.

A recent Economist/YouGov poll suggested nearly half of respondents see him favourably so they may not be impressed with the president’s verbal attacks, but most of Trump supporters are used to his uncompromising style of speaking.

In terms of shifting global foreign policy, we’re often told to take Trump seriously, not literally. There’s a lot of rhetoric but nothing has substantively changed.

More military hardware is arriving in Ukraine thanks to the Biden administration signing off a package last year. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says assistance will continue plus US sanctions remain on Russia with Vice-President JD Vance even suggesting these could increase.

That was the last question asked to our correspondents through Your Voice, Your BBC News. Sit tight as we continue to bring you the latest updates from the Ukraine war.

How does the UK keep ties with the Ukraine and the US right now?published at 13:17 Greenwich Mean Time 21 February

13:17 GMT 21 February

Damian Grammaticas
Political correspondent

Another question focuses around Starmer's upcoming trip to the US: How can the UK navigate its relationship with the US administration which has seemingly sided with Russia while insuring unwavering support for Ukraine?

Keir Starmer is going to be in the US on Thursday next week. You can guarantee this is a question that's being asked and debated inside the corridors of power here, in Downing Street and the Foreign Office.

There is big concern about what we've seen, which is this shift in the US position on these things. But what I think European leaders and Keir Starmer see here is an important opportunity to make sure they are part of the debate. Their concern is that they've been cut out of that for the time being. They want to get in the door, to talk to President Trump, and have several ways they think they can tread that line and address him.

One is flattery - saying you are changing the dynamic here, you are opening a path that could lead to some sort of settlement, which is a good thing.

They will seek to say what's important is not just securing an immediate cessation of hostilities, but a durable one. And if President Trump is able to do that, then that will be a significant achievement. But if he doesn't do that, that could be a significant risk for him and his reputation in the future.

And what can they bring to the table? Promises to increase military spending, to put boots on the ground and some sort of reassurance force if there were to be a deal.

The other thing is Ukraine - the important thing is that Starmer will seek to bring the Ukrainian voice in and say they have to be part of this conversation too.

Why does Russia keep talking about Ukrainian elections?published at 13:08 Greenwich Mean Time 21 February

13:08 GMT 21 February

Steve Rosenberg
Russia editor

Another question that came in via Your Voice, Your BBC News: "How can Putin say there should be elections in Ukraine, when he is destroying it?"

How can he say it? The answer: Easily. There's no doubt that Putin's goal is first of all to force Ukraine back into Russia's orbit.

That was the goal three years ago, right, when he started the so-called special military operation, which was conceived as an operation. I don't think he believed it was going to last for such a long time and become a war. He was confident that by sending in troops, the Ukrainian government would fall quickly and the whole of Ukraine would fall under a pro-Moscow leader, and he'd have Ukraine basically on a plate. That didn't happen.

It doesn't mean that he's changed his goal, I'm sure that remains the aim. Putin believes that countries like Ukraine, particularly Ukraine, should be in Russia's sphere of influence.

The key question now, is when he sits down for talks with Trump at some point, will they discuss carving out the world? Would they be talking about creating spheres of influence? It's something that I think the Russians would like. They do not like how the Cold War ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Could the US lift sanctions on Russia?published at 13:04 Greenwich Mean Time 21 February

13:04 GMT 21 February

Vitaliy Shevchenko
BBC Monitoring's Russia editor

"Do you think the Trump administration will remove sanctions against Russia if the EU and Ukraine refuse to accept any deal that's without them?" Jacob from Camberley asks.

The Trump administration's single-minded approach to foreign policy has upended so many rules and put so much strain on the Western alliance that at this stage nothing can be ruled out.

Both US and Russian officials say they are interested in restoring economic co-operation - which would be impossible without lifting sanctions.

However, they are one of the most effective levers in Washington's hands, which it can use to change Russia's behaviour.

Without it, and without continued support for Ukraine, America's chances of getting any concessions out of Vladimir Putin will be vanishingly small.

That's why US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the lifting of sanctions has not been discussed with Russia yet.