The government of Ukraine seeks to sign the mineral agreement with the United States, which was under review for several months
Instead,investment in future projects and reinvestment of profits will be prioritized. The opposition deputyYaroslav Zhelezniak, who has reviewed several drafts of the agreement, noted that the current version represents a significant improvement over the proposal presented on March 23.
One of the main obstacles during the negotiations was thealleged contradiction between the conditions imposed by the United States and the association agreement signed in 2021 between Ukraine and the European Union for the joint development of critical raw materials.
However, the new memorandum signed between Kiev and Washington clarifies thatthe minerals agreement will not interfere with Ukraine's EU accession process or its commitments to international financial institutions.
The document also highlights Ukraine's historical role in international security,recalling its voluntary decision to renounce the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, through the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in exchange for security guarantees from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia.
Finally, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, stated that this agreement reinforces Washington's economic commitment to Kiev andcould be used as a diplomatic instrument to pressure Russia to negotiate an end to the war.
Ukraine is ready to sign a long-awaited minerals agreement with the United States,which could be finalized on the night of April 30, according to Ukrainian government sources.
The agreement, which has been under negotiation for several months,envisions a 50% joint investment structure between both countries and aims to establish the foundations for long-term development and investment projects in the natural resources sector, particularly strategic minerals.
According to a source from the Office of the President of Ukraine, the final version of the agreementcontains "many positive details" and is expected to be signed by the Minister of Economy,Yulia Svyrydenko, on behalf of the Ukrainian government.
The documentexpressly excludes any provisions related to Ukraine's debt for military or financial assistance previously received from the United States, which represents a significant change from previous proposals.
Under the administration of President Donald Trump, Washington had proposed thatpart of the agreement serve as a form of reimbursement for military aid, which Trump estimated at up to 300 billion dollars. However, since the escalation of the war between Russia and Ukraine in 2022,Kiev has received approximately 200 billion dollars in U.S. assistance.
The agreement is based on the creation of a joint fund andwill not include immediate payments or the transfer of strategic assets such as industrial plants, ports, or Ukraine's gas transmission system.
