Ukraine has agreed to a compromise deal with the United States on developing its vast mineral resources, after the Trump administration abandoned its initial demand for $500 billion in compensation that President Volodymyr Zelensky had flatly rejected.
The agreement establishes a joint fund for developing Ukraine’s rich deposits of critical minerals but notably lacks specific security guarantees or weapons commitments that Kyiv had sought, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.
Ukrainian President Zelensky plans to visit Washington on Friday to finalize the agreement with President Donald Trump, marking a significant diplomatic breakthrough after weeks of tense negotiations.
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“The minerals agreement is only part of the picture,” Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna told the Financial Times. “We have heard multiple times from the US administration that it’s part of a bigger picture.”
Trump substantially retreated from his earlier position with this deal, abandoning demands that would have given the US control over Ukraine’s future revenues from minerals, oil, gas, and infrastructure to compensate for American military aid. Zelensky had previously dismissed those terms, declaring he would “not sign what 10 generations of Ukrainians will have to pay back.”
Ukraine’s vast untapped reserves of critical minerals — including lithium and titanium essential for modern technology manufacturing — have become increasingly central to its diplomatic strategy as the war enters its fourth year.
The agreement comes amid confusion over a purported competing offer from the European Union. Initial reports suggested EU Commissioner for Industrial Strategy Stéphane Séjourné had pitched a rival “win-win partnership” during a visit to Kyiv.
European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier later denied any new proposal, clarifying that the EU has had an existing partnership with Ukraine on critical raw materials since 2021.
“This is about cooperation with Ukraine and not about any sort of competition with the US,” Regnier said.
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