[Ukrainian Economy Minister: The Mining Agreement Only Reflects the Position of the U.S. Treasury Department]

On April 6, Ukrainian Economy Minister Svirydenko told The Associated Press in an interview that next week Ukraine will send a negotiation team to Washington to discuss new projects for the agreement on Ukraine's precious mineral resources. "The draft of the new agreement proposed by the U.S. indicates that the intention to create a fund or make joint investments still exists." It is expected that the Ukrainian negotiation delegation will consist of representatives from four departments: the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Finance.

At the end of March, the media released the content of the new agreement version proposed by the U.S. side. Due to its harsh conditions for Ukraine, it was criticized by journalists and experts as being "exploitative," triggering public dissatisfaction. However, Ukrainian officials were more cautious in their comments.

Svirydenko said, "The document we currently see reflects the position of the legal team of the U.S. Treasury Department. This is not the final version and does not represent the overall stance." She stated that Ukraine intends to determine its own red lines and the main principles on which the agreement should be based. She said, "Obviously, all the details of this agreement cannot be discussed online. We need both sides to sit down and continue discussing face-to-face. Ultimately, all issues will be resolved during the negotiation process."

Svirydenko refused to disclose the true level of acceptance of the U.S.-proposed agreement version by the Ukrainian government. She stated that there is now a more detailed document about creating a joint fund to manage the benefits of Ukraine's resources, in which the U.S. side outlines their vision for the structure and operation of the fund. "We are very focused on ensuring that the final agreement reached after negotiations fully aligns with our strategic interests. I believe that the work done previously on the memorandum shows that both teams have the ability to achieve these goals and reach consensus on terms acceptable to both sides."

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1828708192775500/

Disclaimer: The article solely represents the views of the author.