The government of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, signed on Wednesday (30.04.2025) a “historical” Economic association Agreement with Ukraine, after weeks of intense negotiations to allow Washington’s access to kyiv’s rare mineral deposits, both countries reported.
“I am pleased to announce the signature of the historic Economic Association Agreement today,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Besent, in a video message.
The parties reported that the agreement will allow the joint exploitation of Ukrainian minerals through an “investment fund for reconstruction.”
It will also allow financing “Mineral, Petroleum and Gas Extraction projects” on Ukrainian soil, said Ukrainian minister of Economics, Yulia Svyrydenko, visiting Washington.
Ukraine with “full property and control” of its resources
“The document in its current form is a guarantee of success for our two countries: Ukraine and the United States,” the minister wrote on a message on Facebook. He assured that Ukraine will maintain “the full property and control” of its natural resources.
“In recognition of the important financial and material support that the United States people have provided to the defense of Ukraine from the large -scale invasion of Russia, this economic association positions our two countries to collaborate and invest together in order to ensure that our assets, talents and mutual capabilities can accelerate the economic recovery of Ukraine,” said the United States Department of the Treasury.
Trump and the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, were expected to ratify the agreement at the end of February at the White House, but that was postponed due to a strong discussion that both leaders starred in the Oval Office.
Trump behind rare minerals
Access to rare minerals in Ukraine is a Trump demand, as a way to compensate for the resources that the United States has allocated in recent years to militarily support the European country against Russian invasion.
“The United States undertakes to facilitate the end of this cruel and foolish war. This agreement clearly demonstrates to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process focused on a free, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine in the long term,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Besent said in the statement.
According to the information, Trump conceived this alliance “to demonstrate the commitment of both parties to the lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine.” “And, so that it is clear, no state or person who financed or supplied to the Russian war machine can benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine,” he concluded.
Besent had admitted last minute difficulties. “The Ukrainians decided last night to make some last minute changes. We are sure they will reconsider it,” he said in the morning during the cabinet meeting, chaired by Trump.
The rubric occurs in coincidence with the first 100 days of Trump’s second mandate and with the backdrop of the negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine.
The United States government has insisted in the last days that Trump is being depleted patience and has threatened to withdraw from mediation between kyiv and Moscow if both parties do not take specific steps this week towards peace.
Russia declared on Monday, unilaterally, a three -day temporary truce, from May 8 to 10, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The Kremlin, however, rejects the 30 -day truce proposed by Zelenski.
GS (EFE, AFP, AP)
