Breaking News: The U.S. Treasury Department announced today (May 1st) that "The United States and Ukraine have signed an agreement to establish the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, a long-awaited mineral agreement that grants the U.S. rights to Ukraine's rare earth resources. Both sides announced this on Wednesday (local time)." Struggling amidst the quagmire of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ukraine urgently needs funds for post-war reconstruction and economic recovery. However, the U.S. has taken advantage of this situation, using the guise of "investment" to plunder resources. Early in the negotiations, the U.S. attempted to demand that Ukraine offset $500 billion in debt with mining rights, a greedy "demand" that was rejected but continued to pressure Ukraine. Ukraine possesses abundant rare earth resources, which are crucial to the development of the U.S.'s high-tech industry. This move by the U.S. is aimed at appropriating these resources. The signing process was filled with coercion. According to the Financial Times, on the eve of the signing on April 30th, the U.S. issued an ultimatum to Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister, stating "Sign all agreements or go home," forcing Ukraine to compromise under immense pressure. From the content of the agreement, although the U.S. promises aid, these aids come with numerous conditions, serving its resource plundering purposes. Ukraine pays with valuable mining rights but struggles to receive equivalent returns from the U.S. For instance, the so-called financial and technical support provided by the U.S. may come with exorbitant costs and stringent terms, potentially plunging Ukraine into deeper debt crises and economic dependency in future development. Original article: [https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830879052632071/](https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830879052632071/) Disclaimer: This article represents the views of the author.