U.S. and Ukraine Finalize Resource Agreement Following Tense Talks

The United States and Ukraine have finalized a landmark agreement granting Washington privileged access to Kyiv’s natural resources, in a move aimed at reinforcing bilateral ties and sustaining American engagement in Ukraine’s post-war recovery efforts.

The Gaze reports on this with reference to Bloomberg and a post of First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko on social media.

First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent formalized the deal in Washington, D.C., following months of intense and occasionally contentious negotiations.

The deal, signed in Washington on Wednesday, allows U.S. investors priority access to Ukrainian projects focused on critical raw materials – including aluminum, graphite, oil, and natural gas – with revenues directed into a joint reconstruction investment fund. The agreement is being widely interpreted as a political win for both countries, as pressure mounts on President Donald Trump to deliver results on foreign policy.

The agreement guarantees Ukraine’s full ownership and control over its natural resources, ensures equal governance of the fund by both nations, and imposes no debt obligations on Ukraine. It aligns with Ukrainian law and EU integration goals, exempts fund contributions and profits from taxation, and channels only new revenues from future licenses into the fund. The U.S. will also help attract global investment and cutting-edge technology to support Ukraine’s recovery and modernization.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the deal “sends an unmistakable message to Russia that the United States remains committed to a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine.” 

Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed via social media that the new agreement includes the creation of a joint investment fund aimed at attracting global capital for Ukraine’s recovery and development. “Together with the U.S., we’re laying the foundation for long-term economic resilience,” she wrote.

The Economy Minister outlined how the Reconstruction Investment Fund will operate:

– the United States will contribute to the Fund not only through direct financial injections but also via in-kind assistance, such as air defense systems for Ukraine;  

– Ukraine, in turn, will allocate 50% of the state budget revenues generated from new royalties on newly licensed resource extraction sites;  

– the Fund will channel investments into mineral extraction, as well as related infrastructure and processing facilities;

– all investment decisions will be made jointly by Ukraine and the United States. Importantly, the Fund is exclusively dedicated to projects within Ukraine;

– for the first ten years, any profits or returns generated by the Fund will not be distributed but reinvested into Ukraine – either in new development projects or reconstruction efforts. 

President Trump, speaking at a cabinet meeting, described the deal as a "win-win," noting that U.S. involvement would deter malign actors in Ukraine's resource-rich regions. “This deal secures American interests and helps Ukraine move forward with our support,” he said.

While the agreement does not include explicit U.S. security guarantees, Svyrydenko said it “reaffirms the United States’ long-term commitment to Ukraine’s security, reconstruction, and sovereignty.”

As The Gaze reported earlier, a long-anticipated minerals agreement between Ukraine and the United States has hit another late-stage hurdle just hours before the planned signing.

Despite a last-minute standoff over the final terms on the day of signing, the two sides ultimately reached consensus, paving the way for what both governments describe as a pivotal economic milestone.