Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has turned down a suggested US minerals transaction, citing vague promises and high costs. The agreement would permit the United States to use Ukraine’s rare earth elements, nonetheless, questions exist about the equity of the conditions.
A Ukrainian source knowledgeable with the discussions informed AFP that Zelensky is “not ready” to agree on the treaty in its present form. The source underlined the importance of positive changes by saying, “In the form in which the draft is now, the president is not ready to accept, we are still trying to make changes and add constructiveness.”
Lack of United States Guarantees Raises Questions
The source says “The contract is deficient in explicit American guarantees and investment assurances. The source said there are no American responsibilities in the pact about guarantees or investments; everything about them is quite hazy, and they want to get $500 billion from us.”
Emphasizing the financial strain the agreement might put on Ukraine, the source added, “What kind of partnership is this? … And why do we have to give $500 billion, there is no answer”
This comes on the heels of a recent Reuters story showing the Trump presidency is negotiating a streamlined minerals deal with Ukraine to secure a fast deal before negotiating specific terms later on.
Here Ukraine’s Abundant Natural Resources at Hand
Ukraine has huge quantities of vital minerals, including titanium and lithium, needed for modern technology such as electric vehicle batteries. Furthermore abundant are coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium. Many of these assets, however, rest in regions now under the control of Russia, complicating any sort of international capital accord.
Seeking to keep American support against constant Russian provocation, Zelenskyy has been investigating chances for United States involvement in Ukraine’s natural resource development. The Americans should be paid the most since they were the most helpful. Earlier this month he informed Reuters he would also want to discuss this with President Trump.
Trump-Zelenski renouncement getAppraise
Notwithstanding their talks, conflicts between Zelenskyy and ex-President Donald Trump have been growing. After the Ukrainian leader accused Trump of being swayed by Russian propaganda, Trump just called Zelenskyy “a dictator without elections.” This is the answer to Trump’s accusation that Ukraine started the conflict.
Ukraine is hoping for a more even agreement guaranteeing fair investments and unambiguous US commitments as talks go on. The results of these negotiations will be very important in determining Ukraine’s economic and geopolitical fate.