“After
months of tense negotiations, the US has signed a deal with Kiev on sharing
profits from the future sale of Ukraine's mineral resources.
The two sides have agreed to set up a reconstruction
investment fund to help Ukraine's economy recover from the conflict with
Russia, the BBC reports.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said it showed both
sides' commitment to long-term peace and prosperity in Ukraine. For Kiev, the
deal is crucial to securing US military aid.
Ukraine is believed to have significant reserves of
graphite, titanium and lithium, which are vital for renewable energy, military
technology and industrial infrastructure.
The deal comes amid a US trade war with China, which
supplies 90% of its rare earths.
According to a statement from the US Treasury on Wednesday
afternoon, the newly established US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund
recognizes the “significant financial and material support” the US has provided
to Ukraine since the events of February 2022.
The US Treasury Secretary said the agreement would help
“unlock Ukraine’s growth assets.”
Russian Comment
Putin’s ally and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
has expressed his views on the natural resources deal, Sky News reports.
“Trump has finally
forced the Kiev regime to pay for American aid in minerals,” he said, using the
Russian spelling of the Ukrainian capital. “Now military goods will have to be
paid for from the national wealth of a country that is in decline.”
Trump also commented
US President Donald Trump, when asked on New Nation
television whether this deal could somehow "inconvenience" Russian
President Vladimir Putin, replied: "Well, it could."
"Today
we signed an agreement under which we will receive, you know, theoretically
much more than 350 billion dollars, but I wanted to be protected," Trump
said.
According to
him, this is exactly the amount that his predecessor Joe Biden transferred to
Ukraine in funds and military equipment. Trump once again reiterated that the
United States has provided Ukraine with much more assistance than Europe,
according to the RBC Ukraine news agency.
He also
stated that during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the
Vatican before the funeral of Pope Francis, he said that "it would be very
good" if he signed the agreement, because "Russia is much bigger and
much more powerful."”
Comments
Intas
"Zelensky made the art of deal, sold what he didn't have :)"
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