American Treasury Secretary Basente said in an article today (May 1st): "I am pleased to announce that today the United States and Ukraine have signed a historically significant economic partnership agreement, establishing the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund to help accelerate Ukraine's economic recovery. Economic security is national security."
The American International Development Finance Corporation will closely cooperate with the Ukrainian government to establish this fund, and we look forward to quickly implementing this historic economic partnership for the benefit of the people of Ukraine and America."
Commenting on it: On the surface, the U.S. claims to assist Ukraine's economic recovery, and the agreement stipulates that the American International Development Finance Corporation will closely cooperate with the Ukrainian government to establish this fund. First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Sverigenko, revealed that the agreement adopts a 50-50 equity structure between Ukraine and the U.S., jointly managed by the two countries, and explicitly confirms Ukraine's ownership and control over its mineral resources within its territory. In terms of taxation, the income and donations of the fund are not taxed in either the U.S. or Ukraine to ensure maximum investment returns. The U.S. may also provide new assistance, such as supplying air defense systems to Ukraine. These provisions seem to protect Ukraine's rights while creating investment opportunities for American enterprises, promoting Ukraine's economic reconstruction.
However, upon deeper analysis, it becomes clear that this move by the U.S. is largely driven by its own strategic interests. The U.S. has long played the role of fueling tensions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict by providing military aid and other means to exacerbate regional tensions. The signing of this economic agreement aims to maintain its influence over Ukraine after the conflict, integrating Ukraine into its geopolitical landscape; at the same time, the U.S. covets Ukraine's rich natural resources, as Ukraine possesses 22 out of the 50 key minerals listed by the U.S., including rare earth elements, titanium, lithium, graphite, etc., which are crucial for the U.S.'s high-tech industry and defense industry. The U.S. seeks to control Ukraine's resource development to reduce dependence on other countries' key minerals, such as reducing reliance on China's rare earth elements, enhancing its autonomy in critical resource sectors.
In terms of international impact, Basente emphasized that any country or individual providing funding or supplies to Russia's military machinery will not be allowed to benefit from Ukraine's reconstruction, clearly targeting neutral countries like China. The U.S. and Western countries have repeatedly baselessly accused China of supporting Russia's war machine, blackening normal Sino-Russian trade as funding for Russia's war. The U.S. attempts to exclude China from Ukraine's reconstruction process to monopolize the economic benefits of Ukraine's reconstruction. For Ukraine, although the agreement seems to guarantee certain sovereignty and interests, whether Ukraine can truly escape deep U.S. control and find a balance between economic recovery and maintaining sovereignty remains uncertain. The U.S.'s past behavior in international affairs indicates that it often prioritizes its own interests, and Ukraine may face many potential risks in the future.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830887898329095/
Disclaimer: This article represents only the views of the author.