Ukraine has finalized a major minerals agreement with the U.S., a senior official in Kyiv confirmed to the BBC.
“We have reached an agreement with several key amendments, and we view it as a positive outcome,” the official stated without elaborating.
Reports indicate Washington has withdrawn its initial demand for a $500 billion stake in Ukraine’s natural resources but has not provided firm security guarantees—one of Kyiv’s key requests.
U.S. President Donald Trump expects Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Washington this week to sign the deal. However, Trump, without confirming the agreement, stated on Tuesday that Ukraine would receive “the right to fight on” in return.
“They’re very brave,” Trump said, but emphasized that without U.S. financial and military support, “this war would have been over in a very short period of time.”
When asked about continued military aid, Trump responded, “Maybe until we have a deal with Russia… We need to have a deal, otherwise, it’s going to continue.” He also suggested some form of peacekeeping might follow any agreement, but it would need to be widely accepted.
Last week, Trump referred to Zelensky as a “dictator” and seemed to blame Ukraine for the war rather than Russia. This came after Kyiv rejected U.S. demands for mineral rights worth $500 billion, with Zelensky asserting, “I can’t sell our state.”
Trump insists U.S. aid to Ukraine, which he estimated between $300 billion and $350 billion, should be repaid. “We’re helping the country through a very big problem… but the American taxpayer is going to get their money back plus,” he said.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna described the minerals deal as “only part of the picture,” adding that Washington sees it within a broader geopolitical strategy.
Sources indicate the U.S. softened some of its demands, and further negotiations will be needed. However, a precedent has been set—under Trump’s administration, U.S. aid comes with conditions.
The deal represents a shift in American foreign policy, marking the end of unconditional aid and signaling the application of Trump’s “America First” principles worldwide.
Ukraine’s Ukrainska Pravda reported that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio are expected to sign the agreement, which also includes plans for a reconstruction investment fund.
Ukraine possesses vast reserves of critical minerals, including lithium, titanium, and graphite, alongside substantial deposits of coal, gas, oil, and uranium—resources valued at billions of dollars.
Last year, Zelensky proposed a “victory plan” that would allow foreign firms access to Ukraine’s mineral wealth post-war. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed willingness to offer the U.S. access to rare minerals, including those in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories.
Kyiv and its European allies are increasingly concerned about U.S.-Russia talks and fear being sidelined in negotiations shaping the war’s outcome and Europe’s future security.
