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Kyiv has agreed to the terms of a significant minerals deal with Washington, a senior Ukrainian official confirmed to the BBC. The official, speaking anonymously, described the agreement as a “positive outcome” with important amendments but did not disclose specific details.
Reports indicate that while the US has dropped its initial demand for a $500 billion share in potential mineral revenues, it has not provided firm security guarantees, something Ukraine had strongly pushed for. The agreement comes after tense exchanges between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, who is expected to host Zelensky in Washington for the deal’s signing this week.
Trump, without explicitly confirming the deal, stated that Ukraine was gaining “the right to fight on” in exchange for cooperation on mineral access. He reiterated the crucial role US support plays in Ukraine’s war effort, saying, “Without the United States and its money and military equipment, this war would have been over in a very short period of time.”
Pressed on whether US military assistance would continue, Trump suggested aid could last “until we have a deal with Russia” and that any peace agreement would likely require “some form of peacekeeping” that must be broadly acceptable.
The minerals deal reflects a shift in US foreign policy, marking a departure from unconditional aid. “The American taxpayer is going to get their money back plus,” Trump said, emphasizing his administration’s transactional approach to global alliances.
The agreement follows a period of strained US-Ukraine relations. Last week, Trump labeled Zelensky a “dictator” and appeared to blame Ukraine for the war, after Kyiv rejected Washington’s initial mineral wealth demands. Zelensky, in turn, accused Trump of being influenced by Russian disinformation, asserting, “I can’t sell our state.”
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna, who led the negotiations, told the Financial Times that the minerals deal was “only part of the picture”* and part of broader discussions with Washington. Details of the agreement remain subject to further negotiation.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested Moscow could offer the US access to rare minerals, including from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. This has alarmed Kyiv and its European allies, who fear being sidelined in US-Russia talks—especially after recent diplomatic meetings between the two nations in Saudi Arabia.
Ukraine possesses vast reserves of critical minerals such as lithium and titanium, alongside coal, oil, gas, and uranium deposits. These resources are essential for industries like defense, energy, and technology.
Last year, Zelensky proposed a “victory plan”that would allow foreign companies to access Ukraine’s mineral wealth once the war ends. The latest agreement with the US sets a precedent for foreign investment in Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, with reports suggesting an investment fund is also in the works.
Ukraine’s news site Ukrainska Pravda reported that the deal is expected to be signed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Despite securing an economic agreement, Ukraine remains wary of shifting global alliances. European leaders fear that Trump’s transactional approach could lead to negotiations with Russia that exclude Ukraine, shaping the continent’s security landscape without Kyiv’s input.
For Ukraine, securing access to Western financial and military aid is crucial—but so is ensuring that geopolitical deals do not come at the cost of its sovereignty and security.
The post Ukraine, US Reach Minerals Deal Amidst Security Concerns appeared first on Arise News.
