White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt has, in a press conference, hailed the minerals deal signed between US and Ukraine.
She praised the deal as a “historic” development with “a first of its kind economic partnership for the reconstruction and long term economic success of Ukraine.”
She noted that the agreement shows “why … Trump is our deal maker in chief.”
“President Trump has been clear from the beginning he wants the killing in this brutal war to end. This agreement shows how invested the President is in securing a truly lasting peace.”
Karoline Leavitt
Leavitt said that the deal represents “the United States taking an economic stake” in securing peace in Ukraine.
She added that it establishes a “fund that will receive 50% of royalties, license fees and other similar payments from natural resource projects in Ukraine.”
Her tone suggested that the White House sees this as one of its most notable achievements when it comes to the Ukraine-Russia war – a positive sign in a process that has left President Donald Trump, at times, frustrated.
At the briefing, Deputy Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller said that the deal was a “repayment to the United States” for the “hundreds of billions of dollars that our taxpayers suspect subsidised the war.”
He added that deal will be operationalised “as fast as we possibly can.”
When asked what leverage the deal gives the US government over Russia, Miller answered, “The President’s goal, again, is to end the killing, to achieve a peacebuilding that remains.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha also said in a social media update that he spoke with the EU’s foreign policy Chief, Kaja Kallas about the Ukraine-EU agenda and the minerals deal.
He said that the agreement “marks an important milestone in Ukraine–US strategic partnership aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s economy and security.”
“We discussed recent diplomatic efforts and the next steps to achieve a fair and lasting peace. We also exchanged updates on the preparations for the EU Foreign Ministers’ visit to Ukraine on 9 May. Grateful to the EU for its solidarity and steadfast support.”
Andrii Sybiha
Ukrainian MP, Lisa Yasko voiced support for the resources deal.
Speaking to a news agency, she said, “What is important for us is that this deal is not actually a debt obligation to the United States.”
Yasko added that the agreement is a “fair deal” where the United States is investing in the reconstruction fund and the partnership will be on a 50:50 basis.
Mykola Murskyj, Director of advocacy for Razom for Ukraine, a US nonprofit that provides medical and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and advocates for US assistance, welcomed the deal.
“We encourage the Trump administration to build on the momentum of this economic agreement by forcing Putin to the table through sanctions, seizing Russia’s state assets to aid Ukraine, and giving Ukraine the tools it needs to defend itself.”
Mykola Murskyj
Ukraine’s parliament is expected to ratify the minerals deal with the United States in a decisive step towards securing the latter’s long-term commitment to the war-battered country amid stalled efforts to strike a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire.
Medvedev Downplays US-Ukraine Mineral Deal
However, Former Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, now Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, mocked the mineral deal.
He claimed that President Donald Trump has “broken the Kyiv regime to the point where they will have to pay for US aid with mineral resources.”
He asserted that now, Ukrainians will have to pay for military supplies with the national wealth of a “disappearing country.”
He also mentioned that Trump’s ratings have fallen, and said that May has begun “not at all peacefully.”
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