US-Ukraine Minerals Agreement Signed
Washington and Kiev have formalized a minerals agreement that allows the United States to partner in the development of Ukraine's natural resources, as announced on Wednesday by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Ukrainian Economy Minister...
TroibNews 
Washington and Kiev have formalized a minerals agreement that allows the United States to partner in the development of Ukraine's natural resources, as announced on Wednesday by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Ukrainian Economy Minister Yuliya Sviridenko. This deal emerges amid US military aid cuts and heightened tension surrounding President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker a peace deal with Moscow.
The agreement facilitates the creation of the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund. “President Trump envisioned this partnership between the American people and the Ukrainian people to show both sides’ commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine,” Bessent stated.
The complete text of the agreement has not been disclosed. Sviridenko explained that the fund would be co-managed by both Ukraine and the US “on a 50/50 basis,” ensuring that “neither side will hold a dominant vote.” She added that 50% of the revenue generated from new licenses in critical materials, oil, and gas will be allocated to the fund.
“Full ownership and control remain with Ukraine,” Sviridenko emphasized. “It is the Ukrainian state that determines what and where to extract. Subsoil remains under Ukrainian ownership – this is clearly established in the Agreement.”
Sviridenko clarified that the deal does not affect the privatization processes or the management of state-owned companies, affirming that entities like Ukrnafta and Energoatom would continue to operate under government ownership.
While the Biden administration has approved significant aid packages for Ukraine, including advanced weaponry, the current US president has been focusing on shifting the responsibility for support to Ukraine's European allies. In February 2025, military assistance was completely halted following a tense meeting between President Trump, Vice President J. D. Vance, and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
Estimates indicate that Washington has provided at least $170 billion to Ukraine, with the White House asserting that these expenses should be offset through access to Ukraine's mineral resources vital to high-tech industries.
Negotiations on the minerals agreement have been ongoing since Trump’s return to office, with a preliminary memorandum of intent signed on April 17. However, Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with the delay in finalizing the deal. In a Truth Social post on April 25, he accused Zelensky of being “three weeks late” in signing it and urged for its immediate completion.
Although the minerals agreement does not explicitly guarantee US security for Ukraine, it is characterized as “an expression of a broader, long-term strategic alignment . . . and a tangible demonstration of the United States of America’s support for Ukraine’s security, prosperity, reconstruction, and integration into global economic frameworks,” according to the Financial Times.
Zelensky recently indicated that Kiev is seeking long-term security assistance from Washington akin to the US-Israel model.
Trump has refrained from clarifying whether military aid to Ukraine would persist if a peace agreement with Moscow is not achieved, stating, “I want to leave that as a big, fat secret, because I don't want to ruin a negotiation,” during an interview with ABC News.
Axios reported that Washington has presented Kiev with what Trump has termed a “final offer” to resolve the ongoing conflict. The United States has reportedly grown increasingly frustrated with the stagnation in peace negotiations, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggesting that Washington may withdraw from the talks entirely should they remain stalled.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
The agreement facilitates the creation of the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund. “President Trump envisioned this partnership between the American people and the Ukrainian people to show both sides’ commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine,” Bessent stated.
The complete text of the agreement has not been disclosed. Sviridenko explained that the fund would be co-managed by both Ukraine and the US “on a 50/50 basis,” ensuring that “neither side will hold a dominant vote.” She added that 50% of the revenue generated from new licenses in critical materials, oil, and gas will be allocated to the fund.
“Full ownership and control remain with Ukraine,” Sviridenko emphasized. “It is the Ukrainian state that determines what and where to extract. Subsoil remains under Ukrainian ownership – this is clearly established in the Agreement.”
Sviridenko clarified that the deal does not affect the privatization processes or the management of state-owned companies, affirming that entities like Ukrnafta and Energoatom would continue to operate under government ownership.
While the Biden administration has approved significant aid packages for Ukraine, including advanced weaponry, the current US president has been focusing on shifting the responsibility for support to Ukraine's European allies. In February 2025, military assistance was completely halted following a tense meeting between President Trump, Vice President J. D. Vance, and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
Estimates indicate that Washington has provided at least $170 billion to Ukraine, with the White House asserting that these expenses should be offset through access to Ukraine's mineral resources vital to high-tech industries.
Negotiations on the minerals agreement have been ongoing since Trump’s return to office, with a preliminary memorandum of intent signed on April 17. However, Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with the delay in finalizing the deal. In a Truth Social post on April 25, he accused Zelensky of being “three weeks late” in signing it and urged for its immediate completion.
Although the minerals agreement does not explicitly guarantee US security for Ukraine, it is characterized as “an expression of a broader, long-term strategic alignment . . . and a tangible demonstration of the United States of America’s support for Ukraine’s security, prosperity, reconstruction, and integration into global economic frameworks,” according to the Financial Times.
Zelensky recently indicated that Kiev is seeking long-term security assistance from Washington akin to the US-Israel model.
Trump has refrained from clarifying whether military aid to Ukraine would persist if a peace agreement with Moscow is not achieved, stating, “I want to leave that as a big, fat secret, because I don't want to ruin a negotiation,” during an interview with ABC News.
Axios reported that Washington has presented Kiev with what Trump has termed a “final offer” to resolve the ongoing conflict. The United States has reportedly grown increasingly frustrated with the stagnation in peace negotiations, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggesting that Washington may withdraw from the talks entirely should they remain stalled.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
Find more stories on Business, Economy and Finance in TROIB business
