U.S.-Ukraine minerals reach last minute target

The United States and Ukraine encountered last -minute obstacles on Wednesday, as they were about to sign a framework agreement to exploit Ukraine minerals.

The agreement they had to sign after the Marathon negotiations, which was seen by the Financial Times, said the United States and Ukraine – Through the development of Kyiv’s natural resources and the creation of a joint investment fund, “I would try to create the necessary conditions. Increasing the investment in mining, energy and technology related to Ukraine”.

It came after Kyiv won a significant concession from the Trump administration that only the future military aid would count as a United States contribution to the agreement.

Ukraine’s first Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svydenko has flown to Washington to sign the agreement with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, said three Ukrainian officials.

But the problems arose when the SvyryDenko plane headed to Washington and the Bessent team told him that “he should be willing to sign all the agreements or return home,” said three people who met with this topic.

The North -Americans want Ukrainians to sign both the framework agreement and a detailed fund agreement that would complete the complete mineral agreement on Wednesday, said two Ukrainian officials.

A person who knew U.S. thought on Wednesday said that negotiations had not concluded because Ukraine had sought to review the agreed terms at the weekend.

The person said that the senior North -Americans were worried that this reduced transparency and accountability, but the agreement could still be signed from Wednesday if Ukraine returned to the original terms.

“President Trump has said that now is the time to do it, and we are moving forward with all the deliberate speed towards this end. The United States is committed to the rapid conclusion of this vital agreement and to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine,” said a spokesman for the United States Treasury.

The Ukrainians said that the United States account was inaccurate and that the two documents could not sign Wednesday because the fund agreement must be ratified by their country’s parliament before it can be signed.

A Ukrainian official involved in conversations expressed his frustration with the United States, saying they were concerned that “they would not be happy with anything.”

“We are ready to sign the frame agreement today,” the official said, but added that the odds were little better than “50-50”.

When the game continued on Wednesday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told national television that he hoped that the frame’s agreement would be signed in the “next 24 hours”.

“As soon as all the final details are developed, which I hope will happen in the next 24 hours, the agreement will be signed and we will take the first step,” he said.

Although the framework agreement does not explicitly offer American security guarantees for Ukraine, it does call the agreement “an expression of a larger long-term strategic alignment. And a tangible demonstration of the United States of America in security, prosperity, reconstruction and integration of Ukraine in the world economic brands.”

“We believe that teams have done a good job and that the agreement is much better for the two countries,” said one of the Ukrainian officials who knew this.

Development would set a great step forward in the rocky relationship between Washington and Kiev after a signature ceremony was canceled for an earlier version of the agreement. Public argument At the Oval Office between United States President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

After this shock, Trump He had insisted that the billions of dollars in U.S. military assistance would be addressed as loans to pay through the agreement, a proposal Zelenskyy rejected. The Trump negotiators team also sent a new proposal stating that only past military help in Kiev would count as a United States contribution to the agreement.

On Sunday, Shmyhal confirmed that this line had been withdrawn after Ukraine had clearly defined its “red lines”.

He talked about Washington after a “important meeting” with Bessent to eliminate the final details.

In the weeks following the Oval Office meeting, which ruled out the talks, and after Kiev working with a United States law firm to help negotiations with the Trump administration, the conversations became more “constructive”, said Ukrainian officials.

Kyiv and Washington signed a memorandum of intent earlier this month, committing to advancing an agreement on the investment fund that covers Ukraine’s natural resources and energy assets.

The agreement specifies that after it comes into force, any new military assistance in the United States “including donation of weapons, ammunition, technology or training systems” will be considered a capital contribution by the United States.

Trump has expressed increasing impatience on cessation cessation talks. He has expressed doubts about the will of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, to seriously participate in a peace framework that he expected to make an agent during his first 100 days in office.

After meeting Zelenskyy in the Vatican over the weekend, Trump said that “it was very disappointed that the missiles were (thrown) by Russia … I want Putin (putin) to stop firing, sitting and signing an agreement.”