Ukraine-US talks: Mineral resource deal under scrutiny
A delegation from Ukraine, comprising deputy ministers of economy and justice, will travel to the US from 11th to 12th April. The purpose of the visit is to hold discussions with American authorities regarding a resource agreement. At the current stage of talks with President Donald Trump's administration, technical consultations are necessary.
Kyiv has chosen an international law firm to advise the Ukrainian side during negotiations. The spokesperson for Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the visit has been planned but refused to provide details.
Ukraine's Minister of Economy, Yulia Svyrydenko, announced that Ukraine will send its team to Washington to begin negotiations on a new project agreement for the extraction of Ukrainian mineral resources.
"The new draft agreement from the U.S. shows that the intention to create a fund or jointly invest remains" stated Svyrydenko.
Criticism and scope of the agreement
The head of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andriy Sybiha, previously reported that Kyiv received a new resource agreement draft from the US administration and is cooperating with American partners to sign the agreement.
However, critics of the agreement argue that it is an attempt to deprive Kyiv of control over its own natural resources and infrastructure. According to the Associated Press, the new project includes not only rare earth metals but also gas and oil.
