This is a historic action by the U.S. and Ukraine to explore and use natural resources to strengthen democracy. President Donald Trump has historically been an opponent of this move, which would be pivotal to providing future assurances to Kyiv. This historic agreement was concluded in the midst of a rapidly worsening situation as a result of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. You are rightly committed to increasing sharing of investments in critical minerals, oil and gas. At the same time, you ensure that all of these resources remain firmly in Ukrainian hands.
President Trump emphasized the importance of Ukraine’s unique mineral resources, stating, “They have great rare earth, meaning certain minerals.” The agreement aims to take advantage of Ukraine’s rich reserves of critical minerals. These minerals, like graphite, titanium and lithium, are essential for powering our clean energy transition and other high-tech industries.
The deal creates a new large-scale reconstruction investment fund. This fund would help accelerate Ukraine’s long-term recovery following the sustained invasion by Russian forces. Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko highlighted the fund’s potential to attract global investment into the country, indicating a shared commitment to restoring stability and prosperity.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated, “This shows both sides were committed to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine.” The partnership is structured on a 50:50 basis, ensuring equal participation from both nations in ongoing projects.
The deal deepens economic cooperation. Most importantly it provides for new US assistance to Ukraine aimed at delivering advanced air defense systems. This military assistance is absolutely indispensable to Ukraine. The country has been defending itself against the increasingly toxic poison pen of Russia, which has morphed into a full-scale invasion.
Even with these positive developments, the agreement stalled amidst further changes introduced at the zero hour by efforts from Ukrainian officials. Those documents were finally signed by representatives from both nations last week. This ensures that Central European lawmakers will have the freedom to ratify the agreement before their counterparts in Kyiv.
In discussions in the run up to this deal, President Trump was vocal about the importance of getting access to rare earth elements from Ukraine. He stated, “I was telling him that it’s a very good thing if we can produce a deal that you sign it.” Trump’s larger strategy would undermine US ties with Ukraine. He’s doing so in a timely manner considering the ongoing geopolitical climate made toxic by the US-China trade war.
The agreement explicitly prohibits any state or individual that has financed or supported the Russian war machine from benefiting from Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts. This clause gives a nod to our deeply rooted commitment to nonprofit work. We’ll make sure that reconstruction doesn’t accidentally reward the people who have stoked the current cycle of violence.
As talks continued, President Trump began to try to tie US military assistance with a demand that Ukraine pay the US back. He first requested reimbursement for all military assistance provided since the start of the war. In the spirit of collaboration, the final deal reflects a give-and-take attitude on both sides.
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