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27-02-2025
KYIV: A senior Ukrainian official says the US and Ukraine have agreed the terms of a minerals deal.
It contains “a number of good amendments,” the official tells media, though details about what’s included in the revised draft remain unclear.
US President Donald Trump suggests his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Washington DC on Friday to sign the agreement.
Asked what Ukraine gets in exchange, Trump says: “The right to fight on”
Earlier, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said a “dangerous new era” was behind his decision to boost UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and cut the aid budget.
In a Downing Street news conference, he said Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s “aggression does not stop in Ukraine … we can’t hide from this.”
We’re closing our live coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war. Here’s a rundown of today’s toplines; the US and Ukraine have agreed the terms of a major minerals deal, a senior Ukrainian official has confirmed to media.
Media reports indicate a revised version of the document appears to have dropped a US demand to get $500bn (£395bn) in potential revenue from utilizing Ukrainian natural resources.
However it reportedly does not give firm security guarantees to war-torn Ukraine, a key Ukrainian demand.
Trump has signaled that Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky may visit the White House as soon as Friday to sign the deal.
Asked what Ukraine would get in exchange, Trump said; “The right to fight on”.
The latest developments come after a tense week in US-Ukraine relations, during which Trump called Zelensky a “dictator” and the Ukrainian leader accused Trump of “living in a disinformation space” created by Russia.
They also come as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned of a “dangerous new era” ahead, saying on Tuesday that he will boost UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and cut the aid budge.t
Starmer’s announcement comes ahead of a high-stakes meeting between him and Trump at the White House on Thursday.
Ukrainian officials say that the new deal is much more favorable to the country, and Kyiv sees it “as a good outcome”.
According to media reports, the revised version of the document appears to have dropped the US demand to get $500bn (£395bn) in potential revenue from exploiting Ukrainian natural resources.
The US will not have full control of the fund that will be set up as part of this agreement, however the American side is expected to have a priority voice in making decisions.
Ukraine is expected to contribute 50% of revenues from its mineral resources, including oil and gas. The US will reportedly have financial commitments to support Ukraine, but that amount will be agreed later.
The new version, however, does not specify what security guarantees will be offered to Kyiv. Ukrainian officials hope that they can discuss this matter separately during a visit to Washington soon when this deal is expected to be signed.
“That’s what I do. I do deals,” Donald Trump said at his news conference with French President Emanuel Macron on Monday. “My whole life is deals.”
Now, Ukrainian officials have told media the American president has his rare-earth deal with Ukraine, and Trump has suggested Zelensky will visit Washington DC on Friday to sign the deal. (Int’l News Desk)
