The United States seeks to reopen the conditions of the Ukraine metal deal

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The Trump administration seeks to obtain new conditions for reaching critical minerals and energy origins in Ukraine, and expanding its economic demands on KYIV because it presses a peace agreement with Russia.

Two Ukrainian officials said that Washington wanted Kiev to agree to detailed provisions about who owns and controls a joint investment fund, and to a broader scope, it is likely to cover the ownership of the United States for other economic assets such as nuclear power plants in Ukraine.

This would reopen the non -signed metal deal a few days before the presidents, Donald Trump and Volodimir Zelinski in public places in the White House.

Speaking at the White House on Thursday, Trump said that the United States is looking to sign deals on the ground and rare minerals around the world, but that Ukraine was a special axis.

He said: “We are doing a very good job regarding Ukraine and Russia, and one of the things we do is to sign a deal soon regarding rare land with Ukraine,” but he did not provide more details.

Ukrainian officials said they are concerned about pressure on unsuccessful conditions in a broader deal, especially after Washington was temporarily suspended for arms connections and intelligence participation with KYIV earlier this month.

Trump and Zellinski on a call this week “discuss electrical supplies and nuclear energy in Ukraine,” according to a message from Foreign Minister Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.

“President Trump said that the United States can be very useful in managing these plants through its electrical and beneficial experience,” the summary added, as the ownership of the United States provides “the best protection” of the Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Zelenskyy ft told online briefing with journalists on Wednesday that he discussed with Trump only one nuclear facility: Zaporizhzhia nuclear plantThe largest Europe.

The facility is located 650 km southeast of Kiev on the Dnipro River, and has been under Russian military control since March 2022, a few weeks after Vladimir Putin ordered the full invasion of the country. Its six reactors are currently present in a “cold closure” mode.

The Trump administration has argued that the US economic investment in Ukraine is sufficient to ensure a security to prevent Russia from launching a new invasion after the ceasefire.

Ukraine and the United States reached a framework agreement in February on the joint development of mineral resources in Ukraine, including oil and gas. The dealOn February 25 and FT, by FT, represents a size version for the original suggestion of the Trump administration.

A previous signal has been deleted to $ 500 billion of revenue from mineral extraction, while current metal projects that are already contributing to public finances in Ukraine were excluded.

A specific line has also been added that the United States “supports Ukraine’s efforts to obtain necessary security guarantees to create a lasting peace.” Zelenskyy was seeking an explicit guarantee of the United States for Ukrainian Security in exchange for sharing profits from the rich natural resources in KYIV.

However, the deal – which Kiev considered satisfactory – is still not signed as the two sides move in complex negotiations that include broader economic and security issues, as US and American officials said.

“We are ready to sign it,” said a senior Ukrainian official near Zelinski. “It will be strange to ignore it.”

Two senior Ukrainian officials participating in negotiations with the United States on metal resources in Ukraine said that the Trump administration has not yet provided Kiev with new conditions.

“But I realize this … they are working on a greater agreement,” said one of the officials, who spoke like others, provided that his identity is not disclosed due to the sensitivity of the discussions.

A spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House said that “an economic partnership related to critical minerals, energy and economic growth of both countries is still a discussion,” before we add: “We have overcome it at this stage to focus on the widespread ceasefire and the path to permanent peace.”

Ukrainians wanted to move slowly and discuss the metal deal first before involving the other potential aspects of American investment.

The talks raised deep concerns inside Ukraine. “Since when has he surrendered to the strategic sector of a foreign country equal security?” He wrote that we are Senson, the deputy of the Ukrainian opposition, on X.

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