WASHINGTON – National Security Adviser (NSA) Mike Waltz said the US deserves “payback” from Ukraine for its support against the Russian invasion and that President Volodomyr Zelensky would be “very wise” to accept the minerals deal offered last week.

The US has offered Ukraine a one-sided deal to secure access to Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals after the war, according to two people familiar with the discussions, but has not guaranteed that Ukraine would be permitted to participate in peace talks between the US and Russia about ending the war.

Mr Waltz, speaking on Fox News Sunday, called the deal “protection in and of itself. I can’t think of any better security guarantee than being co-invested with President Trump.”

“The American people deserve to be recouped, deserve to have some kind of payback for the billions they have invested in this war,” he said. “I think that Zelensky would be very wise to enter into this agreement with the United States.”

Asked about the cost of the three-year war to Ukrainians, Mr Waltz said: “Look, the Ukrainian people have fought valiantly, they have seen entire cities destroyed, the United States and Europe have supported this effort, but the United States has unquestionably borne the brunt of that support.”

Mr Waltz will be one of several top aides to President Donald Trump who will meet this week in Saudi Arabia with Russian officials to prepare for peace talks to end the war in Ukraine. Mr Zelensky says he has not been invited.

Mr Zelensky, backed by European leaders, has said he will not accept any US-Russian deal worked out without Ukrainian participation.

“So I will never accept any decisions between the United States and Russia about Ukraine,” he said in a pre-recorded interview with NBC’s Meet the Press broadcast on Feb 16. “Never. And our people, never.”

While Mr Waltz declined to say whether Ukraine would be involved in any peace talks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio left the door open.

“Ultimately, it will reach a point when you are in real negotiations and we’re not there yet,” he said on CBS’ Face the Nation. &ldquo...