Part 3/10:
Attending the conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had reason to be optimistic; Ukraine had recently proposed a deal entailing critical mineral rights in exchange for long-term security guarantees from Washington. However, initial talks with US Vice President JD Vance concluded without resolution, and the atmosphere grew increasingly bleak. The response from the US was not only minimal in terms of security guarantees but also frustrating for Zelenskyy, given the timeline and the perceived one-sidedness of the proposals.