Media report US imposing 'colonial' resource deal on Ukraine
According to several unnamed officials, the Trump administration is allegedly treating Kiev similarly to an African country. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The Trump administration is reportedly treating Kiev as if it were an African colony, according to several unnamed officials.
Media sources have suggested that the United States is attempting to pressure Kiev into agreeing to a one-sided resource deal reminiscent of colonial times. This follows a suggestion from Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky last fall, where he indicated a possibility for Western allies to be involved in the exploitation of the country's significant rare earth mineral deposits, including lithium, titanium, and graphite. President Donald Trump's administration seemingly took Zelensky's suggestion to heart, proposing that the US be granted 50% ownership of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and that American troops be stationed to protect these resources.
However, Zelensky reportedly “politely declined” to sign an agreement that would give the US control over half of Ukraine's mineral reserves, seeking a more favorable deal and contending that the proposal lacked sufficient US security guarantees.
In reference to the discussions between Washington and Kiev, an unnamed official from an unknown nation informed the Associated Press that “it’s a colonial agreement, and Zelensky cannot sign it.”
Supporting this view, two unnamed officials told Bloomberg that Washington “was trying to ram through a one-sided deal” regarding Ukraine’s resources, drawing parallels between the US approach and Belgium’s colonial stance in Africa during the 19th century, when King Leopold II exercised personal dominion over the Congo.
An unnamed senior Ukrainian adviser, quoted by the Washington Post, expressed surprise at the extent of the demands made by the Trump administration and also reflected on the legacy of European colonialism in Africa. He cautioned that the proposed deal “could also lead to the right to develop Ukraine’s resources being signed away for decades with no guarantees that investors would actually develop them.”
In spite of these concerns, Ukrainian officials are reportedly crafting a counterproposal that would give the US access to the country’s resources while simultaneously strengthening US security guarantees for Ukraine, as per sources from the Washington Post. In this context, one senior Ukrainian official humorously suggested that Kiev would consider “almost anything” to ensure continued US support, even proposing to ship Ukrainian eggs to the United States.
Michael Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, has defended the notion of a resource deal, asserting that the US “deserve[s] to have some type of payback for the billions they have invested in this war.” He remarked that Zelensky would be “very wise” to agree to such an arrangement.
In parallel, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed that the US was exploiting the Ukrainian leadership’s inclination to “sell the country by auction.” She stated, “What Trump told Zelensky doesn’t even resemble a deal. It’s more like a command ‘fetch!’ – which the Kiev regime has been well trained to obey.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
Media sources have suggested that the United States is attempting to pressure Kiev into agreeing to a one-sided resource deal reminiscent of colonial times. This follows a suggestion from Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky last fall, where he indicated a possibility for Western allies to be involved in the exploitation of the country's significant rare earth mineral deposits, including lithium, titanium, and graphite. President Donald Trump's administration seemingly took Zelensky's suggestion to heart, proposing that the US be granted 50% ownership of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and that American troops be stationed to protect these resources.
However, Zelensky reportedly “politely declined” to sign an agreement that would give the US control over half of Ukraine's mineral reserves, seeking a more favorable deal and contending that the proposal lacked sufficient US security guarantees.
In reference to the discussions between Washington and Kiev, an unnamed official from an unknown nation informed the Associated Press that “it’s a colonial agreement, and Zelensky cannot sign it.”
Supporting this view, two unnamed officials told Bloomberg that Washington “was trying to ram through a one-sided deal” regarding Ukraine’s resources, drawing parallels between the US approach and Belgium’s colonial stance in Africa during the 19th century, when King Leopold II exercised personal dominion over the Congo.
An unnamed senior Ukrainian adviser, quoted by the Washington Post, expressed surprise at the extent of the demands made by the Trump administration and also reflected on the legacy of European colonialism in Africa. He cautioned that the proposed deal “could also lead to the right to develop Ukraine’s resources being signed away for decades with no guarantees that investors would actually develop them.”
In spite of these concerns, Ukrainian officials are reportedly crafting a counterproposal that would give the US access to the country’s resources while simultaneously strengthening US security guarantees for Ukraine, as per sources from the Washington Post. In this context, one senior Ukrainian official humorously suggested that Kiev would consider “almost anything” to ensure continued US support, even proposing to ship Ukrainian eggs to the United States.
Michael Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, has defended the notion of a resource deal, asserting that the US “deserve[s] to have some type of payback for the billions they have invested in this war.” He remarked that Zelensky would be “very wise” to agree to such an arrangement.
In parallel, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed that the US was exploiting the Ukrainian leadership’s inclination to “sell the country by auction.” She stated, “What Trump told Zelensky doesn’t even resemble a deal. It’s more like a command ‘fetch!’ – which the Kiev regime has been well trained to obey.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
