Ukraine, US expected to sign minerals deal in ‘next 24 hours’: PM
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal says Kiev and the United States could sign a long-awaited minerals deal within the next 24 hours.
Shmygal said Wednesday that Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko traveled to Washington on Wednesday to ink the agreement.
"Indeed, it is a strategic agreement... it is a truly equal, good international agreement on joint investments in the development and recovery of Ukraine," Shmygal said on national TV.
“I hope that the agreement will be signed in the near future, within the next 24 hours, and we will take the first step.”
If signed, the agreement would see the US invest in Ukraine's reconstruction, in return for a share of the country's vast natural resources, including critical elements and minerals vital to manufacturing modern technologies.
According to Shmyhal, once the main agreement was signed, the two sides would agree to further technical and supplementary documents outlining issues such as how the funds are accumulated.
He said Ukraine would retain control of all its resources in the deal, while the fund will invest in the development of Ukraine for a period of 10 years.
A draft of the agreement, seen by Reuters, showed Ukraine had secured the removal of any requirement for it to pay back the US for past military assistance.
Citing familiar sources, Reuters also said Washington was pushing Kiev to sign two additional documents as well as the main minerals deal.
"Who knows — maybe today they will take (those) two docs and finish them too," the source said.
But, they said, Kiev felt they were not ready yet.
Kiev and Washington planned to sign a minerals agreement weeks ago, but a fiery clash between President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, in the White House temporarily derailed talks.
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