Prior to Stefanishyna’s assertion that a deal was close, there appeared to be several sticking points.

Last Wednesday, Zelensky rejected US demands for a reported 50% share of its rare earth minerals – which Trump said would reflect the amount of aid the US had provided to Ukraine during its war with Russia.

“I can’t sell our state,” he said.

The provisions of a second draft of the deal on Sunday appeared to be even tougher than in the first document.

Instead of 50/50 revenue split, the revised draft suggested the US wanted full control, Zelensky told journalists at the press conference on Sunday.

Trump said earlier this month that the US military and economic aid to Ukraine amounts to about $500bn (£396bn), and he wants the US to have access to Ukrainian minerals of that value.

However, Zelensky has said that the American assistance so far totals around $100bn (£79bn). Kyiv has also insisted that the aid they have received until now was a grant and not a credit, and so Ukraine has no obligation to return anything.

Zelenzky is also said to want any deal to include security guarantees.

On Monday former UK prime minister Boris Johnson called an agreement for US access to Ukraine’s minerals “the great prize”.

He rejected suggestions the deal was a “rip-off” and said “what the Ukrainians get from this is a United States commitment under Donald Trump to a free, sovereign and secure Ukraine”.

Some commentators have described the US offer as “colonial” but Kyiv is interested in joint exploration of its resources.

Developing these mineral resources is extremely difficult and expensive, according to Iryna Suprun, chief executive of the Geological Investment Group, a mining advisory firm based in Ukraine.

She argued that if they can attract American investors to develop their natural resources, it will be highly beneficial for the country’s economy.

“We will get technologies that our mining industry lacks so much,” Ms Suprun explained. “We will get capital. That means more jobs, tax payments. We’ll receive revenue from the development of mineral deposits.”