Minerals deal - WSJ reveals which projects could launch first
Photo: under the minerals deal, oil and gas projects will be implemented first (Getty Images)
Under the US-Ukraine minerals deal, oil and gas projects are most likely to be implemented first in Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reports.
According to American officials, oil and gas projects in Ukraine are likely to be implemented first because they are easiest to execute.
The outlet notes that before any money flows, the agreement must be ratified by Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada (Parliament - ed.). An American–Ukrainian Reconstruction Investment Fund must also be established. Only then will Ukraine be able to attract investors.
The WSJ calls the signing of this agreement a diplomatic victory for both Kyiv and President Donald Trump, as he can finally claim that Ukrainians are paying for US aid, not just taking advantage of American generosity.
The report also says Trump may continue intelligence sharing with Ukraine to protect firms operating there. However, American officials told the WSJ that US companies might hesitate to invest due to the threat of daily Russian bombardments.
The WSJ adds that if a peace agreement is reached, the payoff could be enormous: Ukraine possesses 20 of the 50 mineral raw materials deemed critical, including titanium, lithium, and uranium.
Minerals deal
On May 1, Ukraine and the United States signed a minerals deal. It foresees the creation of an investment fund, with revenues coming from the sale of Ukrainian mineral resources.
According to Ukraine’s Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, the document enshrines key provisions important for Ukraine while remaining beneficial to both states. In particular, minerals remain in Ukrainian ownership.
Svyrydenko also stated that the American-Ukrainian Reconstruction Investment Fund could become operational one to one-and-a-half months after the agreement is ratified by the Verkhovna Rada.
As expert Andrii Dlihach noted, the minerals deal with the US will enable growth in Ukraine’s extraction sector, specifically oil and gas, as well as critical minerals such as graphite.
For more on the agreement’s provisions and what follows its signing, see the material by RBC‑Ukraine.
The US expects the Verkhovna Rada to ratify the minerals deal within a week.
