Negotiations on minerals agreement are concluded, Ukraine is ready to sign and awaiting date from US – Stefanishyna
Ukraine is ready to sign an agreement on mineral resources with the United States at any time, and changes to the text are no longer being discussed.
According to Censor.NET, citing Interfax-Ukraine, this was reported by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice Olha Stefanishyna.
"The agreement is ready, there are no changes to the text. The negotiations are concluded. The American side has not decided when and under what conditions they want to sign it at this stage. Ukraine is ready to sign it at any time," she said.
Minerals agreement with the US
As a reminder, Trump has said he wants to sign a $500 billion deal with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on access to rare earth resources and natural gas in Ukraine in exchange for security guarantees in any potential peace settlement.
President Zelenskyy said that the agreement with the US on minerals would be signed at the ministerial level when ready and subject to guarantees. Currently, this document is not ready to protect Ukraine's interests.
Later, Trump said that Ukraine had undermined the rare earth metals deal. The agreement was needed so that the United States could recover the money spent on supporting Ukraine.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has given Ukraine an "improved" draft of the minerals agreement that "complies with Ukrainian law."
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that if the US wants to see specific numbers in the minerals agreement, then according to Ukrainian law, ratification by the Verkhovna Rada will be required.
On 25 February, the Financial Times reported that Ukraine and the United States had agreed on the terms of a deal on minerals, and Kyiv was ready to sign the document.
On February 26, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the signing of the minerals agreement with the United States.
The agreement was supposed to be signed on February 28 at the White House, but due to a dispute between Trump and Zelenskyy, it did not happen.
