After numerous attempts, references, expectations and setbacks, which have created tensions, discontent and at risk of the relationship between the United States and the Ukraine, Washington and Kyiv have reached an agreement. The two countries have formalized a bilateral agreement concerning the exploitation of minerals and rare lands Ukrainian, connecting military support to Kyiv to a plan for long -term economic reconstruction and the access of investors to the so -called critical minerals. The agreement, which must be subjected to the vote of the Verkhovna Radathe Ukrainian Parliament, to be transformed into law, is only the first of a series of similar agreements that will have to be approved.
As the President Volodymyr Zelensky explained in his speech to his speech, The agreement on minerals is the result of the encouragement called historical between him and the US president Trump in the Basilica of San Pietro, on the occasion of the funeral of Pope Francis, It offers equal benefits to the USA and Ukraine and creates the opportunity for significant investments in Ukraine with the establishment of a Recovery Funda fund for the recovery and reconstruction of the country following the Russian invasion and the war that has been going on for over three years. As Zelensky explained, The fund means a joint work between Ukraine and the United States, founded on Equi terms, which allows both countries to earn in the partnership. Furthermore, Ukraine will maintain full control of subsoil, infrastructure and natural resources.
The agreement signed concerns the extraction and exploitation of the so -called Critical Raw Materials – The first criticisms used in particular in the energy transition and digital technologies and for this very refined -, is based on a list of almost 60 mining resources – such as uranium and lithium, as well as gold and platinum – and also includes fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas. No mention, however, for the Zaporizhzia nuclear power plant – The largest in Europe – which has been occupied by Moscow forces since the beginning of the war.
The agreement on minerals does not provide for security guarantees by the United States towards Ukraine, But the American secretary to the treasure Scott Bessent he declared at the press conference: “This agreement clearly reports to Russia that the Trump administration is engaged in a peace process centered on a free, sovereign and long -term prosperous Ukraine”. Bessent also stressed that the agreement will not allow “no state or subject who has financed or supported the war machine of Russia” to profit from the reconstruction process of Ukraine.
(Ansa photo: Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky)
