Listen To Story Above

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced on Tuesday that Ukraine is committed to collaborating with the United States to develop a mutually agreeable minerals agreement that both nations can endorse.

During a press briefing, Sybiha revealed that initial discussions regarding a new version of the minerals agreement had already taken place. He emphasized that establishing a strong American commercial presence in Ukraine through such an agreement would strengthen his nation’s security framework.

“This process will continue and we will work with our American colleagues to reach a mutually acceptable text for signing,” Sybiha said.

The foreign minister’s remarks followed President Donald Trump’s recent comments on Sunday, in which he suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was attempting to withdraw from the minerals agreement. Trump issued a warning that such a decision would result in severe consequences for the Ukrainian leader.

The United States presented an enhanced minerals agreement to Kyiv after an unsuccessful attempt to finalize the initial framework agreement during Zelenskyy’s Washington visit in late February. That meeting notably concluded with Trump publicly criticizing Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.

According to a summary examined by Reuters, the updated proposal would require Ukraine to transfer all profits from a fund managing Ukrainian resources to Washington until the country had fully reimbursed all American wartime assistance, including interest charges.

On Friday, Zelenskyy expressed his position, stating that Ukraine would not agree to any mineral rights arrangement that could jeopardize its European Union integration prospects. However, he indicated it was premature to make a final assessment of the revised agreement.