US Eases Demands for Ukraine to Repay Aid Amid Minerals Deal Talks

The United States has softened its demands for Ukraine to repay wartime aid as the two countries move forward in negotiations over a potential economic partnership, according to sources familiar with the talks, The Gaze reports citing Bloomberg.

Following discussions in Washington last week, the Trump administration reduced its estimate of aid provided to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion from $300 billion to around $100 billion — closer to Kyiv’s figure of approximately $90 billion.

The proposed deal would allow the US to receive a share of profits from future Ukrainian projects, particularly in sectors such as minerals and infrastructure. These profits would be funneled into a US-controlled reconstruction investment fund. However, Ukraine is pushing back on several terms and does not recognize past aid as debt.

Talks remain ongoing, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stating that a final agreement could be reached as early as this week. A key sticking point is the US insistence on treating prior aid as its contribution to the fund, without committing to future investments — a core demand for Ukraine.

Tensions remain high following a February Oval Office confrontation between President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which led to a temporary freeze in US aid. Trump on Monday again blamed Zelenskiy for prolonging the war and criticized the slow progress in peace talks with Russia.

Meanwhile, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff met with President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg last week, suggesting potential for future US-Russia commercial cooperation.

As The Gaze previously reported, Steve Witkoff described his recent meeting with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg as “compelling,” saying the nearly five-hour discussion centered on ending the war in Ukraine and exploring potential U.S.-Russia business opportunities.