Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said Ukraine and the United States have signed a minerals agreement that envisages the creation of a joint investment fund in Ukraine.
According to Sviridenko, the document can ensure success for both countries.
She traveled to Washington to sign the agreement on the Ukrainian side, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signed the document on the US side.
The agreement’s signing was preceded by months of negotiations. Initially, it was supposed to be signed in February, but it was postponed after a famous debate between President Zelensky and US President Donald Trump.
US officials presented the document as a sign of long-term support for Ukraine.
“This agreement is a clear message to Russia that the Trump administration is for Ukraine’s independence and a peaceful future,” Bessent said.
According to her, the agreement prohibits states or individuals who supported Russia’s war from profiting from Ukraine’s reconstruction.
In turn, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that the government had already approved the document. He noted that it will allow the country to attract investments, stimulate the economy, and receive new technologies from the United States.
The fund is planned to have an equal management system between Kyiv and Washington. Both sides will make investments. Future US military assistance can be considered an investment, but past assistance is not considered.
Shmyhal added that the agreement does not create debt, and Ukraine will retain control over mineral resources and infrastructure.
Svyrydenko noted that state-owned companies like Energoatom and Ukrnafta will remain state-owned. The fund will be replenished with income from new licenses without taxation in Ukraine or the United States.
According to the Washington Post, the agreement does not mention the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Instead, it promises a long-term strategic partnership and US support for Ukraine’s reconstruction and security.
Shmyhal said that after signing the agreement, it will be sent to the Verkhovna Rada for ratification.
