The Ukrainian government today gave its consent to the ministers of economy and foreign affairs for one of them to sign a framework agreement with Washington on the exploitation of Ukrainian mineral resources.
The government stated on its website that it was authorizing Yulia Sviridenko or Andriy Sibiga to sign a "bilateral agreement establishing the rules and conditions for the planned reconstruction investment fund."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to finalize the agreement in Washington tomorrow, agreed at the insistent request of his American counterpart Donald Trump, who wants to receive compensation for the military and economic aid the US provides to Kiev.
Zelensky rejected the initial version of the text, which he considered too unfavorable for his country. This caused discontent from Trump, who later called him a "dictator."
The Ukrainian president on Wednesday described a compromise reached with the US on the exploitation of mineral resources as a "start" and a "framework agreement" with a view to a more detailed future agreement, but stressed that the success of concluding the agreement would depend on talks with Trump.
DON'T MISS IT
The details of the text are unclear, whether it concerns the amounts in question or the security guarantees demanded by the Ukrainian side.
According to Zelensky, revenues from mineral exploitation under the agreement will be deposited into a joint US-Ukrainian fund.
Ukrainian media reported that the text mentions Ukraine's security, but that there are no concrete guarantees.
Ukraine's underground reportedly contains about five percent of the world's mineral resources, but the ones Trump wants are mostly untapped, difficult to extract, or de facto under Russian control, as they are located in occupied territories.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he welcomes American investment in Ukrainian regions conquered by his country.
Bonus video:
