The pending agreement between the United States and Ukraine regarding minerals and natural resources will not include financial aid provided to Kyiv prior to the signing of the deal, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on April 27.
Shmyhal visited Washington as part of a Ukrainian delegation holding technical talks with U.S. officials on the long-debated minerals deal April 24-26. The prime ministermet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to discuss "important political aspects" of the agreement.
The delegations "made good progress" in their negotiations, Shmyhal said in a Telegram post on April 27.
"The main thing is that we have clearly defined our red lines, the agreement must comply with European obligations and not contradict the Constitution and legislation of Ukraine," Shmyhal said.
"It must be ratified by the Parliament. It has been agreed that the document does not count the assistance provided before its signing."
The U.S. and Ukraine signed a memorandum on the minerals deal on April 27 but have yet to finalize the agreement. According to the memorandum, technical talks should be completed by April 26, with the goal of signing shortly thereafter. U.S. President Donald Trump complained on April 25 that Kyiv was "at least three weeks late" in signing the deal.
Trump has touted the minerals deal as a way for the U.S. to "recoup" aid provided to Ukraine over the course of Russia's full-scale war. Earlier versions of the deal granted the U.S. extensive control over a joint investment fund with no offer of security guarantees in return.
Ahead of technical talks with the U.S., Deputy Economy Minister and Trade Representative Taras Kachka said the deal would not entail converting previously provided U.S. aid into debt.
"The United States, as one of the partners, will earn at least as much from the activities of this fund as the aid provided," Kachka said.
The deal has been under discussion for months and has stalled over concerns it contradicts Ukrainian law and could interfere with Kyiv's hopes of joining the European Union. It also became a point of tension between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump, who got into a heated argument in the White House on Feb. 28 when the deal was set to be signed by the two leaders.
Shmyhal did not specify a date on which he expects the deal to be signed.
Daria Shulzhenko
(Updated: )
