Defence ministers of Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Georgia meet in Ankara
Defence ministers from Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Georgia meet in Ankara, Türkiye on Thursday which included the signing of bilateral and trilateral ag...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hailed a new mineral resources agreement with the United States as a “win-win” initiative that could unlock $30 billion in military aid, provide critical air defense systems,and serve as a long-term economic and strategic buffer against Russian aggression.
Speaking to journalists in Kyiv on Saturday following talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, Zelenskyy described the proposed deal as “historic,” noting that it would establish a joint investment fund to support the extraction and processing of strategic minerals in Ukraine. In return, the agreement would open the door for American investment, enhanced military support, and a deeper economic partnership.
“This mineral resources deal is beneficial for both sides,” Zelenskyy said, according to remarks published by Interfax-Ukraine. “We aim to defend our territory and our people with air defense systems. That’s why we’re ready for these systems to be part of the deal.”
Zelenskyy confirmed that Kyiv had submitted a list of air defense requirements to Washington, and Trump had shown readiness to consider the request. However, the Ukrainian leader stressed that such systems would need to be purchased, not donated, under the terms of the fund.
$30 Billion Military Aid Framework
The Ukrainian president referenced two tranches of U.S. military aid—$15 billion each for 2025 and 2026—previously approved by Congress. Under the mineral fund framework, both tranches could potentially be advanced and delivered in 2025, with Ukraine gradually repaying its share.
“This would be a $30 billion U.S. contribution, and Ukraine would repay its share gradually. That’s the kind of deal we’re discussing,” Zelenskyy said.
The proposal would also enable duty-free export of raw materials to the U.S., while laying the groundwork for value-added manufacturing within Ukraine. One of the targeted mineral zones is located near Pokrovsk in Donetsk, a front-line area near ongoing conflict with Russian forces.
Strategic and Political Implications
Zelenskyy described the deal as a form of economic insurance for U.S. companies and a strategic shield for Ukraine. “Trump told me personally... Russia won’t touch Ukraine, because we’re partners now,” he said.
He also revealed that he raised the issue of expanded U.S. sanctions on Russia during the meeting with Trump, calling the response “very powerful,” though he declined to offer details.
If finalized, the deal could significantly strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities and provide critical foreign investment into its embattled economy, while further entrenching U.S. involvement in the region’s long-term security architecture.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
Authorities in California have identified the dismembered body discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing from Lake Elsinore since April 2024.
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on 13 September with no tsunami threat, coming just weeks after the region endured a devastating 8.8-magnitude quake — the strongest since 1952.
Defence ministers from Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Georgia meet in Ankara, Türkiye on Thursday which included the signing of bilateral and trilateral agreements on boosting regional security.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has survived two attempts to remove her from office after the European Parliament rejected no-confidence motions from hard-right and left-wing groups on Thursday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met today to discuss the December 2024 aviation tragedy involving an Azerbaijan Airlines aircraft, as well as to reaffirm the strength of their bilateral relationship.
Colombian President Gustavo Pietro has said that the last boat bombed by the Trump led administration was a Colombian vessel carrying Colombian citizens.
Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature for his "compelling and visionary oeuvre" that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art," according to the Swedish Academy.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment