Kiev Supports Minerals Agreement 'Beneficial to US and America,' Says FM
The misstep occurred during remarks by Andrey Sibiga regarding a potential agreement between Kiev and Washington. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga seemingly confused Ukraine with the US during his comments on Tuesday focused on a prospective...
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The misstep occurred during remarks by Andrey Sibiga regarding a potential agreement between Kiev and Washington.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga seemingly confused Ukraine with the US during his comments on Tuesday focused on a prospective deal concerning critical minerals.
Kiev and Washington have been engaged in discussions to finalize an arrangement that would provide the US with access to Ukraine’s mineral resources, such as rare-earth elements, in exchange for American military aid amidst the ongoing conflict with Moscow.
During a press briefing, Sibiga confirmed that a fresh round of consultations with the US on the draft agreement is already taking place.
“The Ukrainian side is committed to concluding a document that would serve the national interests of both the United States and America,” Sibiga noted in a video shared by a Ukrainian news outlet.
Without correcting himself, the foreign minister continued, indicating that the potential agreement, which envisions an ongoing presence of major US businesses in Ukraine, would enhance the nation’s overall security.
The arrangement was first introduced by Vladimir Zelensky in his so-called ‘victory plan,’ which he presented last year in anticipation of the US presidential election. Kiev sought to secure ongoing US support against Russia by offering preferential access to its mineral resources.
The two parties had been expected to formalize the agreement in late February, but the event fell through due to a public dispute between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, the latter of whom accused the Ukrainian leader of ingratitude and hesitance in making a peace deal with Russia.
Additionally, while Trump has framed the deal as a means for Ukraine to repay previous US assistance, Zelensky has maintained that Kiev owes Washington nothing.
According to media reports, the latest revision of the deal includes significantly more stringent conditions for Ukraine. The US would allegedly reclaim all assistance given to Ukraine since the escalation of the conflict in 2022 and impose a 4% annual interest rate on the total before Kiev could receive any profits from the joint extraction fund.
The US has reportedly allocated over $123 billion in military and financial aid to Ukraine since 2022, according to Germany’s Kiel Institute, while Trump has asserted that the actual cost to the US surpasses $300 billion.
Last week, Zelensky mentioned that the new framework significantly differs from what was initially proposed in February, although he did not dismiss the idea entirely.
Trump has cautioned that Zelensky would encounter “big problems” if he attempts to back out of the deal.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga seemingly confused Ukraine with the US during his comments on Tuesday focused on a prospective deal concerning critical minerals.
Kiev and Washington have been engaged in discussions to finalize an arrangement that would provide the US with access to Ukraine’s mineral resources, such as rare-earth elements, in exchange for American military aid amidst the ongoing conflict with Moscow.
During a press briefing, Sibiga confirmed that a fresh round of consultations with the US on the draft agreement is already taking place.
“The Ukrainian side is committed to concluding a document that would serve the national interests of both the United States and America,” Sibiga noted in a video shared by a Ukrainian news outlet.
Without correcting himself, the foreign minister continued, indicating that the potential agreement, which envisions an ongoing presence of major US businesses in Ukraine, would enhance the nation’s overall security.
The arrangement was first introduced by Vladimir Zelensky in his so-called ‘victory plan,’ which he presented last year in anticipation of the US presidential election. Kiev sought to secure ongoing US support against Russia by offering preferential access to its mineral resources.
The two parties had been expected to formalize the agreement in late February, but the event fell through due to a public dispute between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, the latter of whom accused the Ukrainian leader of ingratitude and hesitance in making a peace deal with Russia.
Additionally, while Trump has framed the deal as a means for Ukraine to repay previous US assistance, Zelensky has maintained that Kiev owes Washington nothing.
According to media reports, the latest revision of the deal includes significantly more stringent conditions for Ukraine. The US would allegedly reclaim all assistance given to Ukraine since the escalation of the conflict in 2022 and impose a 4% annual interest rate on the total before Kiev could receive any profits from the joint extraction fund.
The US has reportedly allocated over $123 billion in military and financial aid to Ukraine since 2022, according to Germany’s Kiel Institute, while Trump has asserted that the actual cost to the US surpasses $300 billion.
Last week, Zelensky mentioned that the new framework significantly differs from what was initially proposed in February, although he did not dismiss the idea entirely.
Trump has cautioned that Zelensky would encounter “big problems” if he attempts to back out of the deal.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
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