KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine and the United States have reached a preliminary understanding for a comprehensive economic agreement involving access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, as shared by three senior Ukrainian authorities on Tuesday.
These officials, who requested anonymity due to not having official authorization to comment publicly, indicated that Kyiv anticipates that finalizing this agreement will secure persistent U.S. military assistance that Ukraine critically requires.
With the agreement potentially expected to be signed by Friday, plans are reportedly underway for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to visit Washington for a meeting with President Donald Trump, according to one Ukrainian official.
Another official elaborated that the agreement will offer Zelenskyy and Trump a platform to discuss ongoing military aid for Ukraine, emphasizing Kyiv’s motivation to advance the agreement.
President Trump remarked to reporters in the Oval Office that he had been informed of Zelenskyy’s impending visit and remarked, “It’s okay with me, if he’d like to, and he would like to sign it together with me.”
Trump described the deal as potentially monumental, valuing it at a possible trillion dollars by noting, “It could be whatever, but it’s rare earths and other things.”
According to a Ukrainian source, although some technical specifics are yet to be settled, the current draft omits a controversial Trump administration suggestion to allocate $500 billion in profits from Ukraine’s rare earth minerals to the U.S. as recompense for wartime aid to Kyiv.
Instead, the U.S. and Ukraine plan to establish joint ownership of a fund; Ukraine will eventually contribute 50% of future proceeds from state-owned resources like minerals, oil, and gas. An official highlighted enhanced investment terms, while another noted that Kyiv had secured favorable amendments, considering the outcome as “positive.”
Notably, the pact does not cover security assurances. An official suggested that security would be discussed when the two presidents convene.
These advancements in negotiations occurred after sharp exchanges last week between Trump and Zelenskyy regarding their disagreements on the matter.
Zelenskyy had expressed reluctance to approve a deal proposed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a recent visit to Kyiv, objecting again at a Munich meeting with Vice President JD Vance due to the American offer lacking security guarantees.
Subsequently, Trump characterized Zelenskyy as “a dictator without elections” and alleged his domestic support was low. However, both parties made considerable strides during a three-day visit to Ukraine last week by retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia.
This initiative originated last autumn as part of Zelenskyy’s strategy to bolster Ukraine’s negotiating stance with Moscow in the future.
