Ukraine minerals deal is largely symbolic – but that’s enough for Donald Trump
"[iHere’s what’s in Trump’s Ukraine minerals deal and how it affects the war "Vladimir Putin's 'crazy' ceasefire demands include blueprint for 'New Russia' "France has spent decades preparing for Trump | If You're Listening | ABC In-depth""]"
Nick Paton Walsh Analysis by Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Published 9:21 AM EDT, Thu May 1, 2025
It provides both good news and optics, but is ultimately a forced deal with a complex future.
Ukraine’s minerals agreement with the United States stems from months of fraught haggling, and originates in a Ukrainian idea first offered during the amicable climes of the Biden administration. It has since become a persistent thorn in the side of Kyiv and Washington’s febrile relationship. President Volodymyr Zelensky had little choice but to sign something, or risk another seismic rupture in his relationship with President Donald Trump.
Yet the document CNN has seen sets the stage for a longer-term relationship between the US and Ukraine. It does not give an ironclad guarantee of American profits in the next years of the Trump administration.
The symbolism was, however, largely the point. Trump needed to feel America was getting something back from Kyiv. Ukraine needed to show its relationship with this White House was functional and improving. Ukraine’s allies needed this done and dusted to remove a distraction from the complex talk of military aid and real peace that must now become their focus.
The deal’s text also contains two phrases that will be distinctly pleasing to Kyiv. First, it refers to the “large-scale destruction caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine” – an unambiguous statement of blame from a White House that has often preferred to pull its punches. And then it explains how Ukraine might buy arms from the US – vital given the escalating Russian onslaught across the front lines.
It says that if the US gives new military assistance to Ukraine, “the capital contribution of the U.S. Partner (to the fund) will be deemed to be increased by the assessed value of such military assistance”. In short, Ukraine will use this fund to pay for weapons. Until now, it’s been unclear whether the Trump administration would provide arms – especially desperately needed Patriot missile interceptors – at all. Here, they are explaining how Ukraine would pay for them.
Market Data 
Markets 
AI
