UKRAINE has agreed to a minerals deal with the US, Ukrainian security officials have said.
Kyiv hopes the move will improve relations with the Trump administration and bolster long-term security ties as Zelensky was voted to remain the country’s President “indefinitely” under martial law.
AlamyUkraine has reportedly agreed to the minerals deal with the United States, officials said[/caption]
AFPKyiv hopes the deal will improve relations with Donald Trump[/caption]
APThe US President previously slammed Zelensky a ‘dictator’[/caption]
The agreement, which centres on the joint development of Ukraine’s vast mineral resources — including oil and gas — comes after Washington dropped its demand for a $500 billion share of potential revenues.
While the deal does not include explicit US security guarantees, Ukrainian officials see it as a step toward deepening economic and strategic cooperation, the Financial Times reports.
“The minerals agreement is only part of the picture. We have heard multiple times from the US administration that it’s part of a bigger picture,” Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Olha Stefanishyna told the FT on Tuesday.
The original terms, which President Donald Trump framed as a way for Ukraine to repay the US for military and financial aid since Russia’s 2022 invasion, were met with fierce backlash from Kyiv and European allies.
After President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the initial draft, it was reportedly when Trump called him a “dictator” and suggested Ukraine bore responsibility for starting the war.
The final version, dated February 24 and seen by the FT, establishes a fund into which Ukraine will contribute 50% of proceeds from future monetisation of state-owned mineral resources.
However, it excludes existing revenue streams from key producers like Naftogaz and Ukrnafta.
Crucially, it leaves unresolved details on the US stake in the fund and terms of joint ownership, which will be determined in future negotiations.
While Ukraine has long relied on the US as its primary military aid donor, Trump has dramatically shifted Washington’s approach, launching direct talks with Russia without involving Ukraine or European allies.
Against this backdrop, Kyiv is pushing for a broader relationship with the US that extends beyond military support.
Officials said the agreement has been approved by Ukraine’s justice, economy, and foreign ministries, with discussions underway for Zelenskyy to visit the White House in the coming weeks to sign the deal with Trump.
“This will be a chance for the president to discuss what the bigger picture is. And then after it, we will be able to think of the next steps,” a Ukrainian official told the Financial Times.
Despite the agreement’s finalization, Zelenskyy’s government must still secure parliamentary approval, with opposition lawmakers expected to challenge the deal.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt underscored the administration’s urgency, stating on Tuesday that “it is critical that this deal is signed,” though she did not provide further updates on negotiations.
It comes after Trump branded Zelensky a “dictator” as Ukraine’s parliament voted to extend his presidency under martial law.
The US President slammed Zelensky last week for not holding an election during the war, calling him a “moderately successful comedian” who had “talked the US into a war that couldn’t be won.”
In response, the Ukrainian leader shot back, accusing Trump of living in a “Russian disinformation bubble.”
PAZelensky vowed to step down in exchange for peace[/caption]
GettyUkraine has not been able to hold elections because of the war[/caption]
But despite Trump’s attacks, Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has firmly backed Zelensky, passing a resolution today to keep him in power until martial law is lifted.
Rada deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak said elections would only be held after “a comprehensive, just, and sustainable peace is secured.”
A total of 286 deputies supported the move, with none opposing or abstaining.
The resolution stressed that Zelensky was elected in free and fair elections and that neither the Ukrainian people nor the Verkhovna Rada questioned his legitimacy.
It also noted that holding elections was currently impossible due to Russia’s ongoing invasion.
Zelensky, who has vowed to step down “immediately” in exchange for peace or NATO membership, brushed off Trump’s attack.
“I wasn’t offended, but a dictator would be. I’m not. I’m the legally elected president,” he said.
The two leaders have had a turbulent relationship for years, dating back to when Zelensky was a TV comic before entering politics.
The rift deepened further as the United States shocked allies by siding with Russia in a UN vote on a resolution demanding that Putin’s troops leave Ukraine.
The US administration joined Iran, North Korea, Belarus, Hungary, and 13 others in opposing the motion, while China abstained.
Meanwhile, 93 countries — including the UK and most European nations — backed Ukraine’s call to label Russia the “aggressor.”
President Trump also declined to call Vladimir Putin a “dictator” despite referring to heroic Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky as such last week.
Speaking from the Oval Office, where he held talks last night with French leader Emmanuel Macron, Mr Trump said: “I think the war could end soon — within weeks, if we’re smart.
“If we’re not smart it will keep going.”
As the war reached its third anniversary on Monday, Ukraine remains defiant in the face of both Russian aggression and increasing uncertainty over US support under Trump’s leadership.
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