The United States and Ukraine have reached an agreement on the terms of a critical minerals deal, a move central to Kyiv's efforts to secure Washington's support in its ongoing conflict with Russia, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the draft agreement does not include specific U.S. security guarantees or an immediate flow of weapons. Instead, it emphasizes the United States' commitment to ensuring that Ukraine remains \"free, sovereign and secure.\"
Discussions regarding future weapons shipments between Washington and Kyiv are still underway, as one of the sources noted. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to visit Washington on Friday to sign the significant deal, following a period of heightened tensions between the two leaders.
President Donald Trump has framed the minerals deal as a repayment for billions of dollars in aid previously provided to Kyiv. He also indicated that peacekeeping troops might be necessary in Ukraine should an agreement to end the conflict be reached. However, Moscow has rejected the deployment of NATO forces to Ukraine.
Some European nations have expressed willingness to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine. While Trump suggested that Moscow might accept such deployments, the Kremlin has denied these statements.
The swift move by the U.S. to conclude the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its approach toward Moscow have raised concerns about potential concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which could affect Ukraine and European security, as well as the broader geopolitical landscape.
Officials from both the United States and Ukraine have approved the draft deal, urging its swift signing. The agreement is poised to unlock Ukraine's extensive mineral resources for U.S. access.
\"What we're doing is now we're saying, look, we want to be secured,\" Trump stated. \"The American taxpayer now is going to get their money back, plus.\"
Previously, Zelenskyy declined to sign an earlier draft of the minerals agreement, citing concerns that the proposed terms fell short of the $500 billion in natural wealth Washington sought through U.S. aid and lacked the necessary security assurances.
Under the new draft agreement, the United States and Ukraine will establish a Reconstruction Investment Fund aimed at collecting and reinvesting revenue from Ukraine's mineral, hydrocarbon, and other extractable resources. Ukraine is set to contribute 50 percent of the revenue, minus operating expenses, until the contributions total $500 billion. In return, the United States commits to supporting the development of a \"stable and economically prosperous Ukraine.\"
When asked about Ukraine's benefits from the deal, Trump highlighted the $350 billion already provided by the U.S., along with extensive military support.
Scott Anderson, a governance studies fellow at the Brookings Institution, described the minerals deal as appearing like \"a kind of piracy\" to many but necessary to secure support from Trump and Republican lawmakers. \"They say this gives him (Trump) real skin in the game. I think there is real logic to that,\" Anderson explained.
With Ukraine possessing deposits of 22 out of the 34 minerals identified by the European Union as critical, including key materials like graphite—which accounts for 20 percent of global resources—this deal could significantly impact the global supply chain for essential components in electric vehicle batteries and nuclear reactors.
Reference(s):
U.S., Ukraine agree on terms of critical minerals deal: Reuters
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