Ukraine Says Pact Signed with US Is First Step Towards Minerals Deal

Ukraine said on Thursday Kyiv and Washington had signed a memorandum as an initial step towards clinching an agreement on developing mineral resources in Ukraine, a deal promoted by US President Donald Trump.

Although both had been poised in February to sign a deal for cooperation on natural resources, it was delayed after an Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy turned into a shouting match.

“We are happy to announce the signing with our American partners,” Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister and economy minister, said on social media after the signing.

Thursday’s memorandum of intent paves the way for an economic partnership deal and the setting-up of an investment fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine, she added.

The signing comes after officials in Kyiv worked to repair ties following the Oval Office episode, recognizing that Ukraine needs US support in its war with Russia, which mounted a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The minerals deal is part of that effort, officials in Ukraine have said.