U.S. and Ukraine set for talks on rare earth minerals agreement
Technical consultations between the United States and Ukraine regarding the mining agreement will begin on Friday in Washington, and they will not impact Kyiv’s other financial obligations.
This statement was made by Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishina.
"I can say with certainty: nothing in this agreement can be negotiated with Ukraine in a manner that would undermine its existing financial commitments, including those within macro-financial assistance programs and cooperation with the IMF," said Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanişina.
U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to sign a bilateral agreement regarding Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, viewing it as part of efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine. He believes that this would enable him to recover billions of dollars spent on military assistance to Kyiv, even though the aid was not offered as a loan.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has mentioned this several times, including during his notable visit to the White House, when he left without signing the agreement. Following that meeting, the Trump administration revised its initial proposal and presented a more comprehensive draft of the agreement.
According to Reuters, the American proposal now targets privileged access to Ukraine’s underground resources but does not provide the security guarantees that Kyiv demands.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
