Ukraine's resource deal with U.S.: Talks hit reset button
The Ukrainian delegation traveled to Washington on Friday for another round of talks about an agreement that would give the United States a significant stake in Ukraine's natural resources, reports "The New York Times." The talks, centered around a highly controversial agreement, are expected to last two days.
This visit marks another turn in the ongoing negotiations between Kyiv and Washington, during which President Trump sees the agreement as a way to "recoup" previous U.S. aid to Ukraine. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky hopes it may help secure defense guarantees for his country, according to "The New York Times."
The negotiations will be the first face-to-face meeting of the negotiators since the White House presented a revised draft of the agreement. This draft once again includes tough demands previously rejected by Kyiv, effectively bringing the negotiations back to the starting point.
According to "NYT" journalists, the Ukrainian delegation is led by Taras Kachka, the deputy economy minister responsible for trade, and includes representatives from the ministries of economy and justice. The White House has not provided information on who will represent the American side.
Will Ukraine accept the U.S. proposal?
The new U.S. proposal, as reported by "NYT," includes even more stringent requirements than the previous ones. Similar to earlier proposals, Ukraine would have to allocate half of its income from natural resources—including critical minerals, oil, and gas, as well as related infrastructure such as ports and pipelines—to a U.S.-controlled investment fund. Profits from the fund would be reinvested in Ukrainian natural resource projects, although the exact share of such profits in investments remains unclear.
Moreover, Washington would claim the right to all fund profits until Kyiv repays at least the equivalent of the U.S. aid received during the war, adjusted by a 4 percent annual interest rate.
The new U.S. draft agreement also omits any mention of security guarantees for Ukraine, reports "NYT."
