U.S. criticizes Ukraine's rejection of Trump’s resource deal as Kyiv refuses 'colonial pact'
The U.S. administration has expressed displeasure with Kyiv’s decision to reject a proposed natural resource deal from President Donald Trump. Washington views Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's refusal as “short-sighted,” reports AP, citing a senior White House official.
Brian Hughes, a representative of the White House National Security Council, informed the agency that the U.S. is “weary” of supplying fresh aid to Kyiv. Meanwhile, the deal regarding mineral extraction was touted as “an excellent opportunity provided to Ukraine by the Trump administration,” a chance to help American taxpayers "recoup" their investments in Ukraine.
According to Hughes, the White House views “binding economic ties with the United States as the best guarantee against future aggression and an essential part of lasting peace.” He urged Ukrainian authorities to “acknowledge this.”
An active and a former high-ranking Ukrainian official, familiar with the negotiation process, told AP that the agreement proposed by Trump did not contain specific security guarantees in exchange for Ukrainian natural resources. A former Ukrainian official labeled the agreement a “colonial pact.”
At the Munich Security Conference, Zelensky stated that he refused to endorse the proposed U.S. deal offering aid in return for Ukraine’s natural resources. “I did not allow ministers to sign the agreement because it is not ready. In my view, it does not protect us. It is not prepared to defend us, our interests,” he explained, indicating that the document lacked concrete legal security guarantees for Ukraine.
“It is not in our interests today, nor in the interests of a sovereign Ukraine,” summed up the president, adding, “these resources are not mine but belong to our people.” “I guarantee that these resources will be there for our children,” he declared.
Previously, NBC News reported that in the proposed deal, President Donald Trump’s administration offered Kyiv the rights to 50% of Ukraine’s rare earth metal deposits. In exchange, the U.S. implied it was willing to deploy American troops to secure these deposits if an agreement with Russia was reached to cease the war initiated by Moscow, as confirmed by sources from Reuters.