[By Guancha Observer Network, Chen Sijia] According to a report by the Associated Press on April 6, Ukraine will send a delegation to Washington D.C., USA this week to negotiate a draft mineral agreement with the Trump administration. Julia Svierikenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, stated that Ukraine hopes to ensure that the final agreement aligns with its strategic interests and reaches terms acceptable to both Ukraine and the United States.

It is expected that the Ukrainian delegation will include officials from the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Finance. Svierikenko said that Ukraine's current task is to form a technical team for negotiations, clearly defining Ukraine's bottom line and core principles. "Obviously, the full details of this agreement cannot be discussed online. We need to sit down with the team and communicate face-to-face."

She believes that this marks a new stage in the relationship between Ukraine and the United States, requiring expertise across multiple fields. "In the end, everything will be decided through the negotiation process."

Photo caption: Julia Svierikenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Visual China

The initial plan was for the United States and Ukraine to sign the mineral agreement in February, but due to a heated argument between Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and U.S. President Trump at the White House on February 28, the two sides failed to reach an agreement. Last month, the U.S. sent a new draft of the agreement to Ukraine, not only restoring financial terms that had been canceled during previous negotiations but also further increasing American control. However, it still does not include Ukraine's sought-after security guarantees.

According to media reports, the new draft restores Trump's original demands, requiring Ukraine to repay all military and financial assistance provided since the conflict began, and mandating that half of the revenues from future natural resource projects as well as related infrastructure such as ports and energy pipelines be invested into a fund controlled by the U.S.

According to the U.S. side, the profits from this fund will be reinvested into Ukraine's natural resource projects. The newly added terms specify the profit distribution, with the Trump administration demanding all profits from the fund until Ukraine repays at least the amount of aid provided by the U.S. during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, plus 4% annual interest.

The U.S. will also retain "priority bid rights" for future natural resource projects and infrastructure investment projects in Ukraine, and require Ukraine to make efforts to prevent the sale of critical minerals to entities recognized by the U.S. as "strategic competitors."

In addition, the draft stipulates that the joint investment fund will be managed by the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). The U.S. requires the establishment of a five-member board, with three members appointed by the U.S. and two by Ukraine. CNN reported that this clause means that Ukraine may fully transfer control of key assets to the U.S.

The Associated Press pointed out that Ukraine has more than 20 types of mineral resources strategically important to the U.S., including titanium needed for aircraft wings, lithium crucial for battery technology, and uranium used in nuclear energy. However, critics believe that the Trump administration merely wanted to use this mineral agreement to seize control of Ukraine's natural resources and infrastructure.

Regarding the new draft proposed by the U.S., Ukrainian officials have remained cautious when commenting, refusing to elaborate on Ukraine's official stance on the draft. Svierikenko emphasized that the latest draft only reflects the U.S. position. "The document we have obtained reflects the views of the U.S. Treasury legal team. This is not the final version or a joint position."

Svierikenko stated, "We are very focused on ensuring that the final agreement draft after negotiations fully aligns with our strategic interests. I believe the work done on the previous memorandum demonstrates that both teams are capable of achieving these goals and reaching mutually acceptable terms."

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy once stated on March 28 that if the mineral agreement threatens Ukraine's EU membership, Ukraine will not sign the agreement. But U.S. President Trump threatened on March 30 that if the Ukrainian government attempts to withdraw from the mineral agreement, Zelenskyy will face "big trouble."

This article is an exclusive contribution by the Guancha Observer Network and cannot be reproduced without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7490385260426052108/

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