Toronto rally backs Ukraine on invasion anniversary

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Toronto's Nathan Phillips Square in a show of support for Ukraine to mark three years since it was invaded by Russia.

Ukraine enters the fourth year of all-out war with Russia, unsure it can rely any longer on its staunchest ally the United States as its exhausted troops fight to hold their ground against unrelenting enemy advances.

Protesters in Toronto said Trump "has a chance to be on the right side of history" by including all parties involved in peace talks.

At the heart of the current relationship is a deal under discussion that could open up Ukraine's mineral wealth to the U.S., with Trump seeking hundreds of billions of dollars to repay Washington for its support.

Zelenskiy refused to sign an initial draft deal earlier this month, protesting that it was not in Ukrainian interests and did not contain the security guarantees he wanted.

Donald Trump blasted Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week as an unpopular "dictator" who needed to cut a quick peace deal or lose his country, while the Ukrainian leader said the U.S. president was living in a "disinformation bubble."

Donald Trump said the United States is close to an agreement with Ukraine on sharing revenue from Ukrainian minerals as part of efforts to end the Ukraine war.

"I think we're pretty close to a deal," Trump told a gathering of conservatives in National Harbor, Maryland, on the outskirts of Washington.

He said the United States wanted to recoup the billions of dollars in military aid Washington has given to Ukraine in its fight to repel Russian invaders. He said the United States is asking for rare earths, oil or "anything we can get."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed reservations, emphasizing that previous U.S. aid was granted, not loaned, and should not necessitate repayment through resource concessions.