Zelenskyy to discuss broader support for Ukraine with Trump on top of mineral resources deal – MFA
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump are set to discuss not only the mineral resources agreement but also the broader support for Ukraine during their upcoming meeting, Heorhii Tykhyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during a briefing on Thursday.
"I think that they will discuss further support and what the next steps and documents will be as a continuation of this framework agreement. Because the parties have agreed on the text, it's true, but what will happen next: specific agreements on the creation of the fund itself, security arrangements and others will follow this framework agreement. I think this is what the delegation will focus on tomorrow," he said.
The text of the mineral resources agreement was finalized through collaborative efforts between the United States and Ukraine, and has been approved by the Ukrainian government.
The spokesperson highlighted the importance of the agreement not containing any references to debt, whether it be $500 billion or any other amount.
"In our opinion, when Congress allocated this aid to Ukraine, it was not allocated as a debt. For us, it was very important that it was fair, that the agreement did not mention debt," Tykhyi said.
Additionally, the contentious clause regarding future aid reimbursement at a "$2 for one" ratio has been removed.
The fund established under the agreement will be jointly managed and used for Ukraine's reconstruction efforts.
Tykhyi stressed that this agreement is a framework document and the beginning of a process rather than a final accord.
"This agreement should be seen as a framework, as the first step and the beginning of the process. I urge you not to take it as a final document... We believe this cooperation is important for Ukraine and the United States. It allows us to talk about support that is ongoing and will continue," Tykhyi said.
On February 11, 2025, the U.S. president said that Ukraine had "essentially agreed" to give the US access to $500 billion worth of minerals in exchange for military assistance.
On February 15, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine had not signed a minerals agreement with the United States because it did not spell out the relationship between resource revenues and security guarantees. He later noted that Ukraine was interested in signing the agreement, but after it was finalized.
On February 25, it was reported that Ukraine and the United States had agreed on the terms of the minerals agreement.
On February 26, it was reported that the framework agreement on mineral resources between Ukraine and the United States consists of 11 points and will be signed by Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
