Ukraine and US near final agreement on rare earth minerals, set to sign in Washington – Ukraine's Vice PM Stefanishyna
Ukraine and the United States are in the final stages of negotiations over Ukrainian rare earth minerals, with both teams working towards an agreement.
The Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine – Minister of Justice of Ukraine, Olha Stefanishyna, reported this on the social network X.
She said the negotiations were "very constructive," and almost all key details were agreed upon. However, Stefanishyna noted that the teams pledged to complete the document agreement so it could be signed quickly.
"We hope that the United States and Ukraine leaders will sign and approve it in Washington as soon as possible to demonstrate our commitment for decades to come," she added.
The day before, on February 23, US special envoy Steve Witkoff also stated that he expects an agreement between Washington and Kyiv on minerals to be concluded this week.
It should be noted that on the evening of February 23, the head of the Presidential Office, Andrii Yermak, said that he, together with Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko and Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration – Minister of Justice Olha Stefanishyna, had joined an "important conversation" with American partners regarding the agreement.
The American delegation included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant, U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, their respective teams, and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance's team representative.
"We are making progress in our work. A constructive conversation. The US is our partner, and we are grateful to the American people and grateful for the bipartisan support. You have been with us all three years of the Russian invasion," Yermak noted.
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In response, Zelensky stated that Ukraine was prepared to reach an agreement with the United States on supplying rare earth resources. However, he emphasized that he did not intend to "give away" these resources, instead proposing a mutually beneficial partnership.
The head of state also mentioned that Ukraine was open to American investment in extracting its rare earth minerals in exchange for US assistance. He noted that he had already discussed this with US President Donald Trump in September 2024 and included it as a key point in his Victory Plan.
On February 15, reports emerged that the Trump Administration proposed Ukraine transfer 50% ownership of its rare earth minerals to the United States. However, President Volodymyr Zelensky declined to sign the proposed agreement.
Later, it was reported that the US President's administration, according to media reports, may try to conclude a simplified agreement on minerals with Ukraine to speed up the process and then discuss the detailed conditions.
It is noteworthy that Rubryka has discussed Ukraine's rare earth elements, lithium reserves, and other mineral resources, highlighting their significance and why they have gained attention during the war.
