Ukraine Signed a Deal to Share Minerals Revenue with U.S.
The United States will share future revenues from Ukraine’s mineral reserves under an agreement announced by the Trump administration that creates a joint investment fund between the countries. However, it is unclear if the deal guarantees future U.S. security assistance for Ukraine, and its significance could be minimal if conflict with Russia continues.
The agreement, following months of tense negotiations, aims to give President Trump a personal stake in Ukraine’s future while addressing his concerns that U.S. support for Kyiv has been unconditional. Details of the agreement were not immediately available from the Trump administration.
Ukraine’s allies in Washington expressed cautious optimism, calling the deal an improvement over earlier versions and a sign that Kyiv can work with Trump. Others, however, view the deal as the U.S. leveraging Ukraine’s reliance on American aid to take control of valuable natural resources without providing robust guarantees in return.
Background: The deal was delayed after an explosive meeting in the Oval Office between Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s leader, in late February. Since then, negotiations have focused on whether U.S. military aid would be considered a debt for Ukraine to repay.
Israel’s Military Strikes Syria in Sectarian Clashes
Israel launched airstrikes on Syria on Thursday and threatened further action against government forces if clashes between pro-government troops and Druse militiamen persist.
The Israeli military stated that its aircraft struck a group of “operatives” accused of attacking Druse civilians south of Damascus. As of the latest report, at least 39 people, including 22 on Thursday, have been killed in two days of fighting on the outskirts of Damascus, according to a war-monitoring group.
Britain May Experience Its Hottest May Day
Temperatures in Britain are expected to break records today, with forecasts indicating highs of 84.2 degrees Fahrenheit (29 Celsius) in southern England. The unusual warmth has been due to a large area of high pressure causing descending air that warms as it compresses and continuous sunshine intensifying daytime heating.
If temperatures rise further, today could set a new record for the earliest 86 Fahrenheit (30 Celsius) day, based on Met Office data going back to 1860. Temperatures are expected to drop over the weekend.
Latest update: London has already seen its highest temperature of the year on Monday, which was then surpassed on Tuesday. Overnight temperatures have also been above average, with some parts of Scotland experiencing their warmest April night ever recorded.
A small cafe-bar in western France welcomed an unexpected guest: the French president. Emmanuel Macron has been visiting random bars, incognito, to connect with locals and hear their daily concerns.
“He didn’t come to play scratch!” a bar owner said, referring to card games. “He came to chat.”
Lives lived: Jane Gardam, whose novels depicted both the working-class and aristocratic Britain during the waning days of the colonial era, has died at the age of 96.
Journey Through Time with Historical Fiction
Books have the remarkable capacity to transport us to different places and epochs. Our critic has handpicked four new historical fiction titles that take readers on journeys to Europe, Gilded Age New York, and beyond.
Ride a train filled with tension through France in “The Paris Express.” Witness the lives of working-class individuals in pre-war Vienna in “The Café With No Name.” Discover the novels that captured our critic’s attention.
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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/briefing/minerals-syria-britain.html
