Ukraine and the United States signed a long-anticipated agreement in Washington on Wednesday that grants the U.S. preferential access to Ukrainian mineral deals and launches a joint fund for post-war reconstruction—both key goals for the Trump administration.
After months of tense negotiations, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko formalized the pact, which President Donald Trump has long framed as a way to recoup more than $100 billion in aid provided since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
“This partnership allows the United States to invest alongside Ukraine to unlock Ukraine’s growth assets, mobilize American talent, capital and governance standards that will improve Ukraine’s investment climate and accelerate Ukraine’s economic recovery,” Bessent said in a video statement announcing the deal.
Crucially, the agreement contains no requirement for Ukraine to repay past military assistance—a key concession Kyiv had insisted on. It also allows forthcoming U.S. military and financial aid, including potential air-defence systems, to count as contributions to the joint fund.
Details pending parliamentary approval
Full terms of the memorandum remain under wraps until Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal presents it to Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, on Thursday. In televised remarks this week, Shmyhal emphasized that the deal would not jeopardize Ukraine’s EU accession prospects and described it as a “true partnership.”
Yet some lawmakers urged caution. Oleksandr Merezhko, chair of the Rada’s foreign affairs committee and a member of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s party, told ABC News, “I don’t know what we have signed. Judging by the prime minister’s statement, it is better than the initial version, and it seems we have dodged Trump’s idea to turn previously provided U.S. military and material aid into Ukrainian debts.”
Merezhko added that, politically, the accord offers a win for both sides: “It seems like Trump put pressure on us in an attempt to get a victory in his first 100 days in office. The devil is in the details. But we have improved relations with Trump, for whom it’s a win.”
Next steps and broader context
Beyond parliamentary ratification, Ukrainian officials are also exploring parallel talks with European partners to establish an international support force for any future peace settlement with Russia. In the meantime, both Kyiv and Washington underscore that this minerals deal marks the beginning of an expanded strategic partnership—one that pairs Ukraine’s resource potential with American capital and governance expertise.
Ukraine welcomed the pact as a landmark step in its economic recovery. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called it a “significant development” in bilateral relations and briefed EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on how the deal would bolster Ukraine’s economy and security Reuters.
United States officials framed the agreement as a model for long-term partnership. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the fund would “unlock Ukraine’s growth assets” and mobilize American capital and governance standards to accelerate reconstruction—while President Trump emphasized it ensured a return on the more than $100 billion in aid provided since 2022 Reuters.
European Union capitals broadly viewed the deal as a strategic milestone but underscored ongoing support for Ukraine’s defense. Twelve EU members have asked for greater fiscal flexibility to boost their own military spending, and EU officials warned they would maintain sanctions on Russia regardless of U.S. policy shifts The GuardianFinancial Times.
France and Britain offered mixed reactions. French Prime Minister François Bayrou lamented that Trump’s hard-bargaining approach “creates two victims—Ukraine’s security and Europe’s alliance with the United States,” while Britain’s ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, urged a “reset” of U.S.-Ukraine ties, calling Trump’s initiative “the only show in town” Reuters.
Russia denounced the agreement. Former President Dmitry Medvedev said it meant Kyiv had been “forced to pay” for U.S. aid with its mineral wealth, warning that the pact would complicate any peace talks by tying Ukraine’s resources to American interests Reuters.
China issued a cautionary note, with its Commerce Ministry warning it would oppose any deal struck “at China’s expense” and would take “resolute and reciprocal” countermeasures if necessary Reuter
Iran suggested it would be "unreasonable" to proceed with talks to forge a permanent peace d...
Memorial events were held in Tehran’s main squares on Wednesday (8 April) to mark the 40th day since the ...
Three Russian submarines were detected near British waters, the UK Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, announced on Thursday (9 April). Speaking at ...
Millions of Indians queued to vote in local elections across two states on Thursday, kicking off four key contests this month....
More than a million Sudanese refugees now face drastic cuts to life-saving aid, including food and water, after major funding shortfalls have left ...
Iran suggested it would be "unreasonable" to proceed with talks to forge a permanent peace deal with the U.S. after Israel pounded Lebanon with its heaviest strikes yet on Wednesday, killing hundreds of people. The warning came from Iran's lead negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammed Bager Qalibaf.
Memorial events were held in Tehran’s main squares on Wednesday (8 April) to mark the 40th day since the killing of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died during U.S.-Israeli attacks on 28 February.
More than a million Sudanese refugees now face drastic cuts to life-saving aid, including food and water, after major funding shortfalls have left humanitarian agencies struggling to cope.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday (9 April) that restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is a vital interest for both Italy and the European Union, pledging coordination with international partners to ensure safe passage.
China and Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Tuesday aimed at coordinating defensive efforts to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving no agreed international framework for securing the vital route.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah said it had stopped firing on northern Israel and Israeli forces on Wednesday as part of a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East brokered between the United States and Iran. However, a Hezbollah lawmaker warned that the pause could collapse if Tel Aviv does not adhere to it.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Iran and the United States, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate two-week ceasefire covering all areas, but Israel says the deal excludes Lebanon. Tel Aviv says the U.S. is committed to achieving shared goals in upcoming negotiations.
Iran suggested it would be "unreasonable" to proceed with talks to forge a permanent peace deal with the U.S. after Israel pounded Lebanon with its heaviest strikes yet on Wednesday, killing hundreds of people. The warning came from Iran's lead negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammed Bager Qalibaf.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, less than two hours before his deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face U.S. attacks on its civilian infrastructure.
Three Russian submarines were detected near British waters, the UK Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, announced on Thursday (9 April). Speaking at a press briefing in Downing Street, he said an attack submarine and two specialist vessels were being monitored by the Ministry of Defence.
More than a million Sudanese refugees now face drastic cuts to life-saving aid, including food and water, after major funding shortfalls have left humanitarian agencies struggling to cope.
Russia will see revenue from its biggest single oil tax double to $9 billion in April, driven by the oil and gas crisis triggered by the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran, Reuters calculations showed on Thursday.
At least four people died after a small dinghy carrying migrants to Britain sank in the English Channel, French authorities announced on Thursday.
A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday declined to block the Pentagon’s national security blacklisting of Anthropic for now, handing a win to the Trump administration after a separate appeals court reached the opposite conclusion.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment