Ukraine ambassador on the U.S. continued partnership with them, mineral deal and potential peace deal

WASHINGTON (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, spoke with Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation Sunday giving an update on the latest attack in Ukraine.

"Another very difficult day and night in Kyiv, and not only Kyiv, Cherkasy and some other places, more than 165 Shahed drones, Iranian drones, have been deployed again against completely civilian targets. So unfortunately, this is a horrible reality during the past 1,166 days. Every day, regardless of Russia says, there are some attacks and there are civilian casualties and there are civilian destructions. And for the same 1,166 days, we work diligently on getting- not only defending us, but getting to peace. And Ukraine is devoted to peace."

Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States

Markarova also provided an update on the United States' continued partnership with the country after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters his conversation with President Donald Trump at Pope Francis' funeral that it was "the best meeting they've ever had" and said he's "confident things will look different now."

"Our partnership with the U.S. is very important for us. U.S. has been and is a strategic partnership. We are really grateful to American people for all the support that we are getting from the U.S. It would not be possible for us to defend ourselves without those Javelins, without those weapons that U.S. has provided us, and it was President Trump who decided to provide us Javelins, as when I was still a finance minister...back in 2017, and then large support from American people during the past three years have really been a game changer, and we are very grateful for it. The meeting was great. And you know, as you know, after that meeting, we have signed, really, a great agreement, economic partnership agreement, between our two nations, which will take that partnership to a new level. So look, we might have some disagreements in some areas, but Ukraine is committed to peace. Ukraine wants peace more than anyone, and we need U.S. Our countries are based on the same values. We are defending freedom in Ukraine. We are not the ones who started this war. And now it's not only the right or moral thing to do...the fact to support Ukraine, but also, U.S. has, as your Secretary of Treasury said, an interest and specific economic interest in Ukraine."

Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States

During the interview, Brennan and Markarova discussed the minerals deal Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy signed last week.

The joint economic investment deal announced Wednesday that gives the U.S. access to Ukrainian minerals may provide Ukraine with more support for its defense against Russia.

But it also comes at a key moment for the American economy amid its growing trade war with China, a major producer of rare earths and other critical minerals.

The new deal was described by Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine's economic development minister, as an equal partnership between the U.S. and Ukraine that includes development of mineral, oil and gas projects.

The U.S. will provide either direct financial assistance or new military assistance to Ukraine, which will contribute half of any royalties from future oil, gas and mineral licenses.

The pact comes as America's access to rare earth minerals, which are key to manufacturing high-tech products like computer chips and military equipment, has diminished after China last month announced export restrictions on some of these minerals in retaliation for U.S. tariffs.

Although Trump has suggested buying Greenland, which has rare earths and critical minerals as well as oil and natural gas, Ukraine may provide a more readily available source for these strategically vital natural resources, experts say.

When Brennan asked if the U.S. and Ukraine can make the deal work "if Russian troops are still in the area where those mineral deposits largely are," Markarova answered saying:

"This is an economic partnership agreement to create an investment fund for both of our nations to benefit from amazing investment opportunities that Ukraine has. We discussed before, and I'm so glad that we can not only discuss the horrible tragedy and destruction brought by a Russian unprovoked invasion, but also of the bright future that we, together with America, and- and other countries, can have. Ukraine has agricultural land and black soil, and with the technologies, even during the war, we feed more than 400 million people. We have energy, we have critical mineral deposits. We have so much, including the human talent, and we can develop it together. So look, when Russians criticize something, it's a sign for all of us that we are doing something right. This deal will work, and it will work if Ukraine is peaceful."

Later in the interview, Brennan and Markarova talked about a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, with Brennan asking if there are promises of future military aid from the U.S. if the effort to get a peace deal together doesn't work, to which Markarova said:

"The situation with Russian aggression towards Ukraine is so complex...we're discussing the potential possible peace deals. We are discussing this economic partnership deal, which is already signed. We're discussing other possible scenarios and security guarantees and involvement of other friends and allies. And you know, Europe has been more active and proactive in a number of areas. So this economic partnership deal in itself is a very important part of the broader security architecture, if I may say so. And frankly, that fund will be successful if Ukraine is stable and peaceful. So in a way, it's an important part of the future security guarantees."

To watch more of Brennan's interview with Markarova, click here.