U.S. and Ukraine Sign Minerals Deal
After months of negotiations, the U.S. and Ukraine signed a deal on Wednesday giving Washington access to Ukraine's critical minerals while establishing a joint investment fund to help rebuild Ukraine. The agreement, signed at the U.S. Treasury, follows heavy pressure from President Donald Trump, who had pushed for economic returns on America's multi-billion dollar military support. Trump told NewsNation that he urged President Volodymyr Zelensky to sign it because “Russia is much bigger and much stronger.”
The deal grants the U.S. a 50% stake in a reconstruction investment fund, with both countries agreeing on a shared governance model—something Kyiv insisted on to protect its sovereignty. First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko emphasized that all resources remain under Ukraine’s ownership, stating on X, “Together with the United States, we are creating the Fund that will attract global investment into our country.” The fund will back projects in mineral extraction, oil and gas, and related infrastructure, with profits reinvested in Ukraine for the first ten years.
While the agreement does not include security guarantees for the U.S., it allows for potential military aid like air defense systems. It also removes any obligation for Ukraine to repay past U.S. military aid—one of Kyiv’s key demands. The deal’s language, which affirms Ukraine’s constitutional rights and EU aspirations, helped resolve last-minute concerns that nearly derailed the signing as Svyrydenko arrived in Washington.
