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| U.S. and Ukraine sign economic partnership agreement focused on critical minerals |
U.S. and Ukraine Forge Landmark Deal on Critical Minerals Amid Post-War Investment Push
SUBHEAD
Months of hard-fought negotiations culminate in economic accord granting U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth reserves—military aid now counts toward joint fund.
KEY FACTS
What: U.S. and Ukraine sign economic partnership agreement focused on critical minerals.When: Finalized Wednesday after protracted negotiations.
Where: Signed in Washington by Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
Why: To support Ukraine’s post-war recovery and ensure U.S. access to vital materials.
How: Through a jointly managed investment fund; future military aid counted as U.S. contribution.
SITUATION SNAPSHOT
Under grey D.C. skies and tight diplomatic choreography, a months-long standoff over mining rights and security guarantees gave way to handshakes and signatures. In the halls of the U.S. Treasury, Ukraine's delegation signed off on an agreement many feared would collapse just days before.
WHAT WE KNOW
The United States and Ukraine have officially entered into an “economic partnership agreement” that grants the U.S. strategic access to Ukraine’s mineral resources. In exchange, a bilateral investment fund will be launched, designed to stimulate Ukraine’s recovery and economic development.
Notably, future U.S. military assistance will now be treated as contributions to the fund, replacing earlier drafts that had implied retroactive repayment. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasized that prior aid would not be counted.
Kyiv’s Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who signed the agreement in Washington, stressed that Ukraine retains sovereignty over its resources: “All resources on our territory and in territorial waters belong to Ukraine. It is the Ukrainian state that determines what and where to extract. Subsoil remains under Ukrainian ownership – this is clearly established in the Agreement.”
The final hours before the signing were fraught with complications, including disagreements over document wording. Still, both parties reached consensus in time for the announcement.
WHAT’S NEXT
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed plans to “quickly operationalize” the partnership. However, actual mining and investment activity may face delays due to ongoing conflict. Damage assessments and exploratory projects are likely to follow in the coming months.
Bessent noted the deal as a long-term commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty, adding: “No state or person who financed or supplied the Russian war machine will be allowed to benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine.”
VOICES ON THE GROUND
“We made a deal today where we get, you know, much more in theory, than the $350 billion but I wanted to be protected,” — Donald Trump, U.S. President.
“I didn’t want to be out there and look foolish.”
“It is truly an equal and beneficial international agreement on joint investments in the development and recovery of Ukraine,” — Denys Shmyhal, Ukrainian Prime Minister.
“This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump Administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine,” — Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary.
“It’s a very good thing,” — President Trump reportedly told Zelensky, “because Russia is much bigger and much stronger.”
CONTEXT
Ukraine holds reserves of 22 out of 50 minerals listed as critical by the U.S. Geological Survey, including rare earths essential for electronics, clean energy, and weapons systems. The West’s dependency on Chinese supply chains for such resources has sparked a global scramble for alternatives.
In 2021, Ukraine signed a similar strategic minerals deal with the European Union. A memorandum drafted under the Biden administration proposed American promotion of mining investment in Ukraine in return for Kyiv’s commitment to economic reform and environmental standards.
The recent agreement reflects a pivot in U.S. policy under Trump’s second term—shifting from unilateral military support toward transactional investment strategies.
REPORTER INSIGHT
Behind the scenes, negotiators wrestled with language that would satisfy both Trump’s desire for “protection” and Kyiv’s insistence on sovereignty. The deal’s eventual success signals not only a diplomatic reset but also the rising importance of Ukraine’s geological wealth in reshaping global power dynamics.
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