The United States and Ukraine have agreed on the terms of a draft minerals deal, a crucial step for Kyiv as it seeks to maintain U.S. support while President Donald Trump pushes to expedite an end to the ongoing war with Russia.
While the agreement does not include U.S. security guarantees or commitments for continued weapons supplies, it reaffirms Washington’s stance that Ukraine should remain “free, sovereign, and secure”.
The deal is expected to grant the U.S. access to Ukraine’s vast mineral reserves, with Trump framing it as a way for American taxpayers to recover part of the billions in aid sent to Kyiv.
Trump has also suggested that a peacekeeping force may be necessary in Ukraine if a settlement is reached—an idea Russia has rejected outright. However, some European nations have expressed openness to contributing peacekeeping troops.
A High-Stakes Agreement
Following tense exchanges with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week, Trump announced on Tuesday that Zelensky is expected to visit Washington on Friday to sign what he described as a “very big deal.”
Officials from both countries have reportedly approved the draft, which includes the establishment of a Reconstruction Investment Fund. This fund will collect and reinvest revenues from Ukraine’s natural resources, including minerals and hydrocarbons.
Under the terms, Ukraine will allocate 50% of revenue from extracted resources—after operational costs—until contributions reach $500 billion. In return, Washington has committed to long-term financial support for Ukraine’s economic stability.
Kyiv previously rejected an earlier version of the agreement, as the U.S. initially sought direct rights to $500 billion worth of Ukraine’s natural resources—an amount exceeding the total aid Ukraine has received from Washington.
Defending the deal, Trump argued that American taxpayers deserve repayment. “The American taxpayer is going to get their money back, plus,” he stated, claiming U.S. assistance to Ukraine has ranged between $300 billion and $350 billion.
Ukraine’s Strategic Mineral Wealth
Ukraine holds significant reserves of minerals vital to global industries. According to Ukrainian data, the country possesses deposits of 22 of the 34 minerals classified as critical by the European Union. These include:
- Graphite: 19 million tonnes of proven reserves, essential for electric vehicle batteries and nuclear reactors.
- Lithium: One-third of Europe’s lithium reserves, a key component in battery production.
- Titanium: Before the war, Ukraine supplied 7% of the world’s titanium, widely used in aerospace and construction.
- Rare Earth Elements: Ukraine has substantial deposits of these 17 elements, crucial for electronics, wind turbines, and defense technologies.
However, a large portion of Ukraine’s estimated $350 billion mineral wealth remains in Russian-occupied territories, according to Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
