What we know about the US-Ukraine minerals deal

Volodimir Zelinski said that Ukraine agreed to the conditions of a major deal that allows the United States to reach its deposits for rare ground minerals.

Kiev hopes to encourage the deal – which will give the United States a financial share in the country – the White House to protect Ukraine if the war with Russia is wandering after a potential ceasefire.

US President Donald Trump said an agreement will help American taxpayers to “restore their money” to the aid sent to Ukraine throughout the war and will give Ukraine “the right to fight” against Russia.

But Ukrainian President Zellinski said that no American security guarantees have been agreed yet, but he hoped that “the agreement would lead to more deals.”

The main details have not been published yet, but on Wednesday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Dennis Shmeisal said that Ukraine and the United States have put the finishing touches on a copy of the agreement.

Speaking to Ukrainian television, SHMYAL said that the initial agreement is that an “investment fund” will be created to rebuild Ukraine.

The Prime Minister added that Kyiv and Washington will manage the fund with equal phrase.

He said that Ukraine will contribute 50 % of the future revenues of state -owned mineral resources, oil and gas in the fund, and the fund will invest in projects in Ukraine itself.

The New York Times reported, noting a documentary draft, that the United States will have the maximum amount allowed under American law, but not necessarily all of this.

The metal deal was at the rift center between Trump and Zelinski last week, as the Ukrainian president rejected an initial request for $ 500 billion (395 billion pounds) as revenues of rare minerals.

Media reports say this request has been dropped since then.

A source in the Ukraine government told the BBC: “The provisions of the deal are much better for Ukraine now,” a source in the Ukraine government told the BBC.

On Tuesday, Trump said that the United States had granted Ukraine between 300 billion dollars (237 billion pounds) and 350 billion dollars (276 billion pounds) for help, and wanted to “restore these funds” through a deal.

BBC Check the Analysis He found no evidence For this number.

Zelensky pushes to get a deal to include a steady safety guarantee from the United States.

But on Wednesday, Ukraine leader said that no guarantee had been provided.

“I wanted to judge security guarantees for Ukraine, and it is important to be present,” he said.

In response to a question from the BBC if he will be ready to stay away from the agreement if Trump does not provide the guarantees he wants, Zelinski said: “I want to find a path for NATO or something similar.

“If we do not get security guarantees, we will not have a ceasefire, nothing will succeed, nothing.”

Nevertheless, Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmeyhal said on Wednesday that the United States supported “Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees to build a lasting peace.”

He said that Ukraine will not sign the deal until Zelinski and Trump agreed to security guarantees “and decide how to” link this initial agreement “to an American security guarantee.

“There is no use in signing any deal on critical minerals if the Russians can reformulate one month after signing the deal.

He said that the discussions on the security guarantees needed to continue.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Stefanina, who was leading negotiations, told the Financial Times that the deal was “part of a larger image.”

Zelinski suggested the possibility of minerals agreement for the first time last year as a means of providing the United States for a tangible reason to continue the support of Ukraine.

Trump said on Tuesday that Ukraine will get the “right to fight” in exchange for reaching its minerals, although he has not confirmed an agreement yet.

He suggested that the United States continue to provide equipment and ammunition to Ukraine “until we face a deal with Russia.”

He also said that there will be a “form of peacekeeping” in Ukraine after any peace deal, in a form that must be “acceptable to everyone.”

Shmeisal said that the United States and Ukraine prepared a final version of the agreement, which will allow the Ukraine government to sign on Wednesday.

Trump said he expected Zelinski to sign the deal on a visit to Washington on Friday.

Zelinski said he would be “very direct” with Trump by asking whether the United States will continue to support Ukraine or not.

Kyiv estimates that about 5 % of the world’s “critical raw materials” is present in Ukraine.

This includes about 19 million tons of graphite reserves that have proven useful, which the Ukrainian Geological Survey says it makes the nation “one of the five best leading countries” to supply the metal. Graphite is used to make batteries for electric cars.

Ukraine also has large sediments of titanium, lithium and rare ground minerals – a group of 17 elements used to produce weapons, wind turbines, electronics and other vital products in the modern world.

Vladimir Putin did not address after reports that the conditions of the deal between the United States and Ukraine had been agreed upon.

But on Monday evening, state TV told that he was ready to “provide” resources to American partners in joint projects, including mining in the Russian “new regions” – referring to parts of eastern Ukraine that Russia has occupied since its launch on a large scale three years ago.

Putin said that the possible United States deal, Ukraine on rare minerals, was not a concern and that Russia “has no doubt, and I want to confirm much more resources than this type of Ukraine.”

“With regard to the new lands, this is the same. We are ready to attract foreign partners to the so -called new, to our historical lands, which have returned to the Russian Federation.”