The conditions of the proposed new agreement on American participation in revenues from minerals and natural deposits of Ukraine seem even more severe for Kiev than the original version, rejected by Ukrainians – writes the New York Times. The project involves the transfer of USA $ 500 billion in revenues from the operation of raw materials. The American Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent said that this agreement would be a “clear signal for Russia.”
As the New York Times writes, referring to the draft agreement, the main demands of the authorities USA from the first version of the contract, talking about the transfer of half of future revenues from the operation of all natural deposits Ukraineremained unchanged. The document assumes that revenues from the sale of raw materials will affect the US controlled by the US until $ 500 billion.
This is an amount that many times exceeding the value of American help for Ukraine. Congress has so far allocated $ 183 billion in connection with the war Russia Against Ukraine, although just over half of this amount went directly to Ukraine. According to “NYT” Washington also wants to receive twice the value of help received by Ukraine in the future.
“A number of obligations”
Contrary to Kiev's postulates, the contract proposal also says nothing about possible security guarantees for Ukraine. “Instead, he calls Ukraine to make a number of obligations, while not anticipating any specific obligations in return from the United States,” writes the daily.
The American proposal provides for the fact that in the case of liberation of the occupied US territories they will receive two -thirds of revenues from the raw materials extracted there. “NYT” notes that last year Ukraine received only USD 1.1 billion from the sale of natural goods.
What will Ukrainians do
The newspaper writes that, despite the harsh conditions, Ukraine is seriously considering signing the document. Refusal of consent to the first version of the contract was angry with the president Donald Trumpwho accused Ukraine of the beginning of the war, and called the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelanski a dictator. On Friday, Trump softened a bit of the tone saying that he expected Kiev soon to sign a contract.
According to the sources of the Reuters agency, the Americans threatened Ukrainians that if they did not agree to sign a contract, the Ukrainian army would lose access to the satellite communication system Starlink.
The representatives of the White House have so far presented the contract as a “great opportunity” for Ukraine and a guarantee of long -term US involvement in the well -being of this country. Advisor of the US President for National Security Mike Waltz claimed that this is an agreement on “joint investments” in natural resources, which will involve investments of American companies in the extraction of minerals and other raw materials, helping to increase revenues from this title.
Secretary of the US Treasury: The mineral agreement will be a signal for Russia
The American Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a commentary in the British daily Financial Times that the US partnership with Ukraine, including a mineral agreement, would be a “clear signal for Russia” that Washington is investing in a free and sovereign Ukraine.
“The partnership proposed by President Trump combines the interests of the American people with the interests of the Ukrainian people,” said Bessent.
According to him, Kiev's income from “natural resources, infrastructure and other assets” would be found on a special, US -controlled fund that would serve “long -term reconstruction and development of Ukraine.”
As “FT” noted in the commentary, Bessent did not say, however, what part of the revenues from mineral mining will be allocated to the fund, and which will be paid to the United States. “The conditions of this partnership will mobilize American talent, capital as well as high standards and management to speed up the reconstruction of Ukraine and send a clear signal to Russia that the US is investing in a free and prosperous Ukraine in a long -term perspective” – said the American secretary of the treasury.
Poland “is an example of what Ukraine can achieve”
In his commentary, he also stated that the terms of the contract “will ensure that countries that have not contributed to the defense of the sovereignty of Ukraine will not be able to benefit from its reconstruction or investment.”
Bessent gave an example of Poland, which “thanks to reasonable economic policy, (…), is an attractive trade and investment partner for the USA.” “The success that Poland has achieved thanks to structural reforms, infrastructure investments, attracting foreign investments and developing a qualified labor force, is an example of what Ukraine can achieve,” wrote the American.
Source of the main photo: PAP/EPA/Sergey Dolzhenko