The US and Ukraine encountered last-minute hurdles Wednesday, hours earlier than the anticipated signing of a landmark framework deal to develop Ukraine’s mineral sources, in line with media experiences.
The settlement, which Kyiv hoped would unlock main US investments in its mining and power sectors, was jeopardized when Washington insisted Ukraine signal not solely the framework deal, however two extra paperwork — a fund settlement and a technical annex.
Three sources instructed the Financial Times that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent‘s group warned Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who was en path to Washington to signal the deal, that she should “be ready to sign all agreements, or go back home.”
US officers claimed that Ukraine had tried to revisit agreed phrases on fund governance, transparency mechanisms and monetary traceability, regardless of earlier consensus.
“President Trump has said that the time to get this done is now,” mentioned a spokesperson for the US Treasury Department.
Ukrainian officers pushed again, nevertheless, saying it was “inaccurate” to counsel Kyiv backtracked.
One US official famous the fund settlement requires parliamentary ratification and can’t be signed instantly.
“We stand ready to sign the framework deal today,” mentioned the official, including the probabilities of doing so remained “50-50.”
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed ongoing efforts earlier to finalize the deal. “As soon as all the final details are worked out, which I hope will happen within the next 24 hours, the agreement will be signed,” he mentioned.
The newest model of the deal features a key concession from the Trump administration — solely future US navy support will rely as a capital contribution to the proposed joint funding fund, reversing an earlier demand to incorporate previous navy help.
The framework settlement doesn’t embody express safety ensures however describes the deal as “an expression of a broader, long-term strategic alignment” and US help for Ukraine’s safety and reconstruction.
Source: www.anews.com.tr