Ukraine, US sign 'memorandum of intent' on critical minerals deal

[Emrys]

Ukraine and the United States on Thursday signed a "memorandum of intent" to move forward with a fraught deal for US access to Kyiv's natural resources and critical minerals, Kyiv said.

"We are happy to announce the signing, with our American partners, of a Memorandum of Intent, which paves the way for an Economic Partnership Agreement and the establishment of the Investment Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine," Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on X.

According to the text of the memorandum, published by the Ukrainian government on Friday, the aim of both sides is to complete discussions on the final deal by April 26 and to sign it soon after.

The memorandum said Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal will travel to Washington at the start of next week to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and work on the deal together.

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250417-ukraine-us-natural-resources-minerals

I haven't been able to find a text version of the memorandum yet, so here's a screencap:



Twitter translation account WarTranslated summarized it tentatively positively as:

The U.S. has released a memorandum on economic partnership with Ukraine: investments in security, recognition of Ukraine's contribution to global security after giving up nuclear weapons, and support for EU integration without barriers. A strategic partnership agreement in the mining sector is also in the works.

Many a slip possible yet, obviously.

Given Trump's widely reported impatience with the lack of progress on "negotiations" about the war, the end of this month is seen as a watershed, by when he wants to have at least something to crow about. Putin doesn't seem likely to give him much in that way.

[True Dough]

1. Maybe this is Zelenskyy's attempt to maintain some sort of relations with the U.S. while buying time

The extraction of critical minerals will surely take years and won't be feasible while Russian missiles and bombs are falling. Zelenskyy knows that Trump needs a "win," so he agrees to this deal for now and then terminates the deal and negotiates fairer terms with the next U.S. administration, hoping that they're sane (or Democrat, take your pick).

[Emrys]

3. That's certainly a possibility

Being relatively principled, I also suspect he feels he owes it to his allies to give this his best shot, as even token US contributions to the later stages of Ukraine's defence would be a help, though not if Trump persists in mixing in his own negotiations with Putin with Ukraine's and meddling counterproductively at a political level.

[bronxiteforever]

9. +1 This makes sense to me.

[Renew Deal]

2. Trump sees this as a way for Americans to be bought into the situation.

From what I’ve heard it can be used to make an argument that the US has a stake in Ukraines success and future, which should bring others along. We’ll see

What I hope doesn’t happen is that it backs the US into a corner that eventually leads to another war.

[Lovie777]

4. From what I'm reading at least the 1st agreement/contract................

it appears to be in Ukraine's favor and no mentioned of Russia. That's not saying much tho, because shithole musk republicans are not honorable people.

[C_U_L8R]

5. Neatly typeset extortion.

Our country has no more honor. Trump ruined it.

[Emrys]

6. With a typo in its first line

It should read "significant financial material support to Ukraine".

Whether that indicates exhaustion after a heavy round of talks, a hurried cobbled-together draft, or just run-of-the-mill incompetence in having fired all the woke proofreaders in the administration is anyone's guess.

[C_U_L8R]

7. How Trump.

Good catch. Lazy, stupid and cruel seem to be their signature brand.

[Lovie777]

8. No comment from Russia?.................