Ukraine-US Mineral Deal Talks Advance Without Security Guarantees

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that discussions with the United States regarding a mineral resources agreement are progressing positively. The president indicated that further meetings are planned to continue these negotiations, highlighting the potential for a significant development in the bilateral relationship between the two nations.

According to previous reports, on March 28, a draft proposal summary revealed that the Trump administration had presented a new and more comprehensive mineral agreement with Ukraine. This proposal differed from earlier discussions, as it no longer included future security guarantees for Ukraine. Instead, it required Ukraine to contribute all revenue generated from the use of natural resources, managed by both state-owned and private enterprises within the country, to a joint investment fund.

The terms proposed by the U.S. were notably more extensive than those discussed in the lead-up to the controversial Oval Office meeting between former U.S. President Donald Trump and President Zelensky last month. One source mentioned that U.S. Treasury Secretary Benson has been representing the U.S. in these negotiations. The proposal did not address the issue of U.S. ownership of Ukrainian nuclear power plants, a topic that Trump had previously raised.