US, Ukraine sign rare minerals agreement after lengthy talks

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WASHINGTON: The United States and Ukraine signed a mineral agreement on Wednesday after a two -month delay, in which President Donald Trump’s administration called Kiev a new form of US commitment after the abolition of military aid.

Ukraine said it gained key interests after a long negotiation, including full sovereignty on its own rare lands, which are very important for new technologies and are not widely used.

Former Russian President Joe Biden, as a billions of dollars of compensation, Trump initially demanded the rights of Ukraine’s mineral wealth when Russia attacked just three years ago.

After initial hesitation, Ukraine has accepted a mineral agreement as a way to secure long -term investment through the United States, as Trump has tried to rapidly measure US security commitments all over the world.

Announcing the signing of the deal in Washington, Treasury Secretary Scott Basant said he had “vowed to both sides for lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine.”

“The deal clearly indicates Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a free, independent and prosperous Ukraine -based peace process during a long -term,” Basant said.

“And clearly, no state or individual who financed or supplied the Russian war machine would not be allowed to take advantage of the reconstruction of Ukraine.”

In Kiev, Prime Minister Dennis Schmilg said on national television that the deal was “good, equal and beneficial.”

In a post on the telegram, Shamiagal said that the two countries will set up an investment fund in reconstruction with 50 % of the voting rights from all sides.

“Ukraine maintains full control over its sub -parts, infrastructure and natural resources,” he said.

Following an important concern for Kiev, he said that Ukraine will not be asked to repay any “loans” for billions of dollars and other cooperation since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“The profit of the fund will be invested in Ukraine especially in Ukraine,” he said.

Trump actually tried $ 500 billion in mineral wealth – about four times higher about the US who has participated in Ukraine since the war.

American presence against ‘bad actors’

Trump has offered security guarantees to Ukraine and rejected his desire to join NATO.

But Trump said Wednesday that the US presence on earth would benefit Ukraine.

“I think, in my view, the American presence will keep many bad actors out of the country or definitely from the area where we are digging,” Trump said at a cabinet meeting.

Foreign Secretary Marco Rubio threatened on Tuesday that the Trump administration would withdraw from mediation over the dispute – which Trump pledged during his campaign to end his first day – until the two sides came forward with “solid suggestions”.

Trump has put pressure on a settlement in which Ukraine will abandon some of Russia’s occupied territory, which has rejected US -backed outchers for at least 30 days of ceasefire.

President Wolodmeer Zelannsky has rejected any formal discount from Russia’s Crimea, the peninsula occupied in 2014 and has been rejected internationally by Moscow.

But Zelannski, after the White House’s devastating meeting on February 28, is to take care of Trump’s diplomacy, where Trump and Vice President JD Venus allegedly pursued him for being ungrateful for US aid.

Zelinsky was due to signing a mineral deal at the White House, but suddenly it was shown the door after the camera’s amazing dispute.

According to various estimates, Ukraine has some five percent of the world’s mineral resources and rare lands. But work has not yet begun to tap many resources and many sites are now in the area -controlled area of ​​Russian forces.

In particular, Ukraine has 20 % graphite, which is an essential material for electric batteries, according to the French Geological & Mining Research Bureau.

Ukraine is also a major producer of manganese and titanium, and says it has the largest lithium reserves in Europe.

After more than three years, Russia controls about 20 % of Ukraine’s territory, killing tens of thousands, including civilians.

Ukraine launched a surprising attack in Russia’s Kursi region last August. Moscow has claimed to have completely cleaned the Ukrainian forces.

Russia said Wednesday that 288 civilians died during the attack.