Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasised on Thursday that the minerals agreement signed with the United States was the outcome of negotiations that resulted in a “truly equal agreement”.
In his evening address, he noted that the agreement stipulates no repayment obligations for previous US assistance to Kyiv.
Following several months of intense discussions, the US and Ukraine finalised a deal expected to grant Washington access to Ukraine’s critical minerals and other natural resources, an arrangement that Kyiv hopes will ensure sustained support for its defence against Russia.
Ukrainian officials have stated that the agreement signed on Wednesday is significantly more advantageous for Ukraine compared to earlier iterations, which they claimed relegated Kyiv to a subordinate role and granted Washington extraordinary control over the nation’s resources.
This agreement, pending ratification by the Ukrainian parliament, will create a reconstruction fund for Ukraine, which officials believe will facilitate ongoing American military support.
An earlier version of this agreement was close to being finalised but was ultimately disrupted during a contentious meeting in the Oval Office that included US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and President Zelenskyy.
Ukrainian reactions to the deal
Kyiv residents reacted to the US-Ukraine mineral deal with mixed feelings on Thursday.
“Any news is hard to take, whether it’s about negotiations or something else. I still believe and hope that any action will yield some result that will lead our Ukraine to victory. Only to victory,” said Diana Abramova, a Kyiv resident.
Despite not knowing the details of the deal, 74-year-old university lecturer Natalia Vysotska expressed optimism, saying “if it was signed, then our experts must have compared the pros and cons. I hope it will be beneficial.”
But others felt more depleted. For 37-year-old Iryna Vasylevska, the deal served as another reminder that “our land is just a bargaining chip for the rest of the world and that we do not have our own full protection.”
“My vision is that instead of strengthening ourselves, we continue to give it all away,” she added. “I feel terrible about the fact that our human resources in war are considered as meat. I am sure that there are other possible agreements, except those that will make us poor in all areas.”
The agreement was reached at a time that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as a “very critical” week for Washington’s initiatives aimed at resolving the conflict, which had seemed to have reached an impasse.
Ukraine views this arrangement as a means to guarantee that its most important and influential ally remains involved and does not withdraw military assistance, which has been crucial in its ongoing struggle against Russia’s full-scale invasion over the past three years.
Additional sources • AP
