Ukraine and the United States are continuing difficult negotiations over a deal that would involve trading Ukraine’s natural resources for American aid. Ukrainian officials stated that negotiations went on late into Saturday and are believed to be linked to a large Russian drone attack that occurred overnight. The Ukrainian Air Force claimed that 267 drones were launched, although this could not be independently verified.
Heavy machine guns were heard throughout the night in central Kyiv as attempts were made to shoot down the drones. Ukraine stated that most drones were disabled or shot down, but still caused damage to houses and fires in parts of the capital.
President Trump increased pressure on Ukraine to sign the deal, which has been under negotiation for over 10 days. Ukrainian officials have already rejected several draft agreements, citing a lack of specific U.S. security guarantees to protect the country from Russian aggression.
Frustration over the ongoing negotiations has escalated tensions between President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and Mr. Trump, who accused Mr. Zelensky of being a “dictator without elections.” Mr. Zelensky also stated that Mr. Trump is trapped in a “web of disinformation.” Mr. Zelensky is expected to address the feud during a news conference on the third anniversary of the war.
The latest draft agreement, obtained by The New York Times, still lacks security guarantees for Ukraine and includes even tougher financial terms. Ukraine sent back amendments on Saturday night.
The agreement demands that Ukraine give up half of its revenues from natural resource extraction, including minerals, gas, and oil, as well as earnings from ports and other infrastructure. These revenues would be directed to a fund in which the United States would hold 100% financial interest. Ukraine would be required to contribute to the fund until it reaches $500 billion, more than four times the value of current U.S. aid.
Security guarantees for Ukraine or further military support for Kyiv are not committed to in the agreement. The word “security” has also been deleted from the agreement, which states that a portion of the revenues will be used for Ukraine’s reconstruction and that the United States intends to provide long-term financial support for Ukraine’s economic development. The U.S. Treasury secretary argued that the economic partnership would pave the way for a lasting peace by signaling the importance of Ukraine’s future sovereignty and success.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/23/world/europe/ukraine-trump-mineral-deal.html
