Ukraine and the U.S. Agree on a Resources Deal; Zelensky May Visit Washington to Sign

Washington: Donald Trump has set his sights on Ukraine’s natural resources, and it appears he is close to securing them. According to a CNN report, a Ukrainian official stated that the U.S. and Ukraine have reached an agreement on a deal involving natural resources and Ukraine’s reconstruction. The report, citing sources, mentioned that this agreement was reached after all unacceptable conditions were removed from the draft. The revised deal now clearly outlines how it will contribute to Ukraine’s security and stability. However, the U.S. has not yet officially confirmed its approval of the agreement’s terms. Trump had been pressuring Ukraine to finalize such a deal.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit Washington in the coming days. On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said from the Oval Office, “I’ve heard that he (Zelensky) is coming on Friday. If he wants to, I have no problem with him signing the deal. I believe it is a major agreement, a very significant one.”

Previous reports had already suggested that Ukraine was willing to strike a deal allowing the U.S. access to its rare minerals in exchange for American participation in Ukraine’s reconstruction fund. A source revealed that the U.S. had initially opposed including security guarantees in the draft agreement.

Zelensky Was Not Initially Willing

Ukraine is ready to provide its rare minerals, but the agreement still lacks precise terms regarding its security. According to the report, some complex details related to the resource deal will be discussed in later negotiations. The U.S. and Ukrainian presidents may personally discuss security guarantees.

Earlier, Trump had demanded a $500 billion stake in Ukraine’s minerals in exchange for aid, but Zelensky rejected the proposal. The report states that Zelensky turned it down because the deal required Ukraine to give up everything while the U.S. had no direct participation.