Trump administration provides Ukraine with 'improved' minerals agreement – Axios
Photo: US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
The administration of US President Donald Trump provided Ukraine with an "improved" draft agreement on minerals between the two countries after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the initial proposal, Axios reports.
According to the media outlet, this information was confirmed by both Ukrainian and US officials, as well as three informed sources.
Sources from both sides stated that this version of the agreement appears more likely.
According to Axios, several of Zelenskyy’s aides urged him to sign the updated proposal to avoid further confrontation with Trump and to allow him to justify continued US support for Ukraine.
"There was significant improvement in the recent draft and it is in conformity with Ukrainian law," a source said.
Rare earth resources agreement
Last week, the US proposed that Ukraine sign an agreement on rare earth metals. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent traveled to Kyiv with this initiative.
Ukrainian authorities suggested that the agreement could be signed just days after Bessent’s visit — at the Munich Security Conference.
However, on February 14, the first day of the conference, RBC-Ukraine sources reported that Ukraine had proposed a revised version of the agreement to the US. As a result, the deal was not signed at the Munich conference.
The full content of the document remains unknown. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized yesterday that the agreement contains “not a single word” about security guarantees for Ukraine.
According to the president, the agreement stipulated that Ukraine would have to give up 50% of “what is listed there.”
Meanwhile, US authorities are dissatisfied that Ukraine did not immediately agree to the rare earth metals deal. Washington expects Kyiv to approve the initiative.
Trump, in turn, stated that he intends to revive the rare earth minerals agreement; otherwise, Zelenskyy "will not be too happy."
