After months of negotiations, the US and Ukraine ink a deal to establish an investment fund
Kyiv and Washington have engaged in discussions for several months regarding a potential agreement.
TroibNews 
The U.S. and Ukraine have entered into an economic partnership agreement aimed at developing the Eastern European country's mineral resources amid its ongoing conflict with Russia, the Trump administration announced on Wednesday.
This agreement signals a cooperative effort between the U.S. and Ukraine to set up an investment fund intended to aid in the reconstruction of Ukraine, as the White House continues to advocate for peace more than three years after Russia's full-scale invasion.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated, “As the President has said, the United States is committed to helping facilitate the end of this cruel and senseless war. This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump Administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term.”
After months of negotiations, Kyiv and Washington reached this agreement, which allows the U.S. to develop and profit from Ukraine's extensive natural resources, including crucial elements and minerals essential for modern manufacturing, while also contributing to a reconstruction fund for the country.
According to the outline of the agreement, Ukraine will maintain full control over its national resources and state-owned enterprises will remain under state ownership. The U.S. will support the fund through direct payments or new military assistance, while Ukraine plans to contribute 50% of future revenue from royalties associated with newly issued licenses for critical minerals, as well as oil and gas exploration.
The signing of the long-anticipated agreement occurred shortly after President Trump and Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, met during Pope Francis’ funeral in Vatican City last weekend. Trump has been urging both Ukraine and Russia to agree on a peace resolution to end the conflict.
The need to finalize the agreement stemmed from Trump's growing impatience with the progress of peace talks, particularly regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's reluctance to accept Trump’s peace proposal, according to two anonymous sources familiar with the discussions.
During their meeting inside St. Peter’s Basilica, Zelenskyy encouraged Trump to apply additional pressure on Putin. In turn, Trump urged Zelenskyy to expedite the minerals agreement, which he views as a crucial post-war security assurance for Ukraine.
In a social media post from Air Force One returning to Washington, Trump noted Putin's recent bombing campaign as a suggestion that “maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently.”
During a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, when asked about the minerals agreement, Trump expressed that it would help deter future attacks on Ukraine once peace is achieved. “The American presence will, I think, keep a lot of bad actors out of the country or certainly out of the area where we’re doing the digging,” he remarked.
The deal nearly came to fruition two months prior when Zelenskyy visited Trump at the White House, but discussions deteriorated during their meeting, causing the agreement to be postponed.
Even after Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko arrived in Washington on Wednesday to sign the agreement, there were initial hurdles. Ukraine hesitated to sign the main economic pact along with two technical side agreements.
A U.S. official confirmed that all three agreements were eventually signed after Ukraine requested last-minute modifications and the U.S. Treasury took a firm stance.
Ukraine characterized the deal as “a new stage in our cooperation with the U.S.” Svyrydenko stated, “We are receiving not only investments, but also a strategic partner who will work with us on economic development and the introduction of innovations.”
Kyiv aimed to clarify that the deal excluded past U.S. military aid, which was noted to be part of the agreement. According to a Ukrainian fact sheet, “The agreement focuses on future, not past, U.S. military assistance.”
Trump has positioned the minerals deal as a means for American taxpayers to recover the approximately $120 billion in aid that the U.S. has provided to Ukraine since the onset of the war.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
This agreement signals a cooperative effort between the U.S. and Ukraine to set up an investment fund intended to aid in the reconstruction of Ukraine, as the White House continues to advocate for peace more than three years after Russia's full-scale invasion.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated, “As the President has said, the United States is committed to helping facilitate the end of this cruel and senseless war. This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump Administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term.”
After months of negotiations, Kyiv and Washington reached this agreement, which allows the U.S. to develop and profit from Ukraine's extensive natural resources, including crucial elements and minerals essential for modern manufacturing, while also contributing to a reconstruction fund for the country.
According to the outline of the agreement, Ukraine will maintain full control over its national resources and state-owned enterprises will remain under state ownership. The U.S. will support the fund through direct payments or new military assistance, while Ukraine plans to contribute 50% of future revenue from royalties associated with newly issued licenses for critical minerals, as well as oil and gas exploration.
The signing of the long-anticipated agreement occurred shortly after President Trump and Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, met during Pope Francis’ funeral in Vatican City last weekend. Trump has been urging both Ukraine and Russia to agree on a peace resolution to end the conflict.
The need to finalize the agreement stemmed from Trump's growing impatience with the progress of peace talks, particularly regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's reluctance to accept Trump’s peace proposal, according to two anonymous sources familiar with the discussions.
During their meeting inside St. Peter’s Basilica, Zelenskyy encouraged Trump to apply additional pressure on Putin. In turn, Trump urged Zelenskyy to expedite the minerals agreement, which he views as a crucial post-war security assurance for Ukraine.
In a social media post from Air Force One returning to Washington, Trump noted Putin's recent bombing campaign as a suggestion that “maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently.”
During a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, when asked about the minerals agreement, Trump expressed that it would help deter future attacks on Ukraine once peace is achieved. “The American presence will, I think, keep a lot of bad actors out of the country or certainly out of the area where we’re doing the digging,” he remarked.
The deal nearly came to fruition two months prior when Zelenskyy visited Trump at the White House, but discussions deteriorated during their meeting, causing the agreement to be postponed.
Even after Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko arrived in Washington on Wednesday to sign the agreement, there were initial hurdles. Ukraine hesitated to sign the main economic pact along with two technical side agreements.
A U.S. official confirmed that all three agreements were eventually signed after Ukraine requested last-minute modifications and the U.S. Treasury took a firm stance.
Ukraine characterized the deal as “a new stage in our cooperation with the U.S.” Svyrydenko stated, “We are receiving not only investments, but also a strategic partner who will work with us on economic development and the introduction of innovations.”
Kyiv aimed to clarify that the deal excluded past U.S. military aid, which was noted to be part of the agreement. According to a Ukrainian fact sheet, “The agreement focuses on future, not past, U.S. military assistance.”
Trump has positioned the minerals deal as a means for American taxpayers to recover the approximately $120 billion in aid that the U.S. has provided to Ukraine since the onset of the war.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
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