The first attempt ended in a scandal. However, according to US President Trump, the raw material agreement with Ukraine could already stand in the coming week. As an intermediate step, both countries now signed a declaration of intent.
After a long struggle, Ukraine and the USA have signed a declaration of intent to conclude a raw material agreement. This was announced by the Ukrainian Minister of Economic Affairs and Vice Government Officer Julia Swyrydenko on Facebook.
“Today a step towards a common economic partnership agreement was taken with the United States,” she said. The text of the agreement itself, with which the USA is to be given rare earths and other valuable resources from Ukraine, still had to be completed.
US President Donald Trump previously announced the signing of the agreement for the coming week. Reporters in the White House said that this could be the case next Thursday.
“A lot to do”
According to Swrydenkos, the document must also be ratified by the parliaments after signing. “We are preparing the foundation of the fund for investments in the reconstruction of Ukraine,” she said. The agreement enables significant investments, the modernization of the infrastructure and a partnership that is advantageous for both sides. It is an investment in the future for free, sovereign and safe Ukraine.
There is “still a lot to do,” she added. However, the current pace and “the significant progress” suggested that “the document would be very advantageous for both countries”.
Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj had previously announced the memorandum as an intermediate step to the raw material agreement. Lawyers would continue to work on the actual binding raw material agreement, he said.
Finally little optimism
At the end of February, the signing of a vague framework agreement had failed after a publicly held scandal during a visit to Selenskyj in Washington. Trump and his Vice President JD Vance had accused the Ukrainian head of state in the Oval Office in front of ongoing cameras disrespect and a lack of gratitude for the US military aids.
The talks about an agreement recently continued. Details that penetrated the public about the negotiations had not been very optimistic. Above all, the demands of the US administration – as far as they become known – literally caused outrage in Ukraine. Because these apparently do not only refer to a framework agreement that should be signed in Washington at the end of February. Rather, they are already looking at how US companies exploit Ukrainian soil treasures and which parts of the Ukrainian economy should be under US control.
Trump has been pushing Kyiv for a long time to conclude a raw material contract. Selenskyj had criticized that the agreement did not contain any express guarantees of the United States regarding Ukraine's security. Trump sees the agreement primarily in consideration for the military aids already granted to the country attacked by Russia.
