Ukraine Approves U.S. Minerals Agreement, Eyes Stronger Defense Ties

Ukraine’s parliament voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to ratify a landmark minerals agreement with the United States, a move Kyiv hopes will strengthen ties with Washington and unlock new military aid to counter Russian aggression.

The deal, passed with 338 votes in favor and none against, establishes the American-Ukrainian Reconstruction Investment Fund to support Ukraine’s post-war recovery.

Economic Partnership Takes Shape

The agreement, signed last month after contentious negotiations, grants the U.S. preferential access to Ukraine’s vast mineral resources, critical for modern technology manufacturing.

In return, both nations will equally fund the reconstruction initiative, though details on governance and contributions remain unclear.

Two supplemental agreements, yet to be finalized, will outline the fund’s management and operations, according to Ukrainian officials.

“The Ukrainian Parliament has ratified the historic Economic Partnership Agreement between Ukraine and the United States,” said First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko on X.

“This document is not merely a legal construct — it is the foundation of a new model of interaction with a key strategic partner.”

Parliamentary Concerns and Amendments

Despite the strong support, some lawmakers expressed reservations about the deal’s transparency.

Opposition MPs, including Iryna Gerashchenko from the European Solidarity faction, successfully added amendments clarifying that theagreement covers all Ukrainian territory, including Russian-occupied regions, and that parliament’s approval does not extend to the unpublished supplemental agreements.

“Trump’s initial position is changing by millimetres, but so far its movement is in the right direction,” said Inna Sovsun, a Holos party lawmaker, on Facebook.

She acknowledged the deal’s “mercantile” nature but emphasized Ukraine’s constructive approach.

Strategic Implications Amid Ceasefire Talks

The ratification comes as Ukraine navigates stalled ceasefire negotiations with Russia, which invaded in February 2022.

Kyiv has endorsed a U.S.-proposed 30-day interim ceasefire, while Moscow’s three-day offer was dismissed as inadequate.

The minerals deal, seen as a diplomatic win after a heated February meeting between Presidents Zelenskyy and Trump, also secures no repayment of prior U.S. aid and acknowledges Ukraine’s EU aspirations.

“Sometimes after the blowup, you end up with a better deal … I think it is a win-win,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the Milken Institute Global Conference. “It’s equity, not debt.”

With 47% of Ukrainians supporting the deal, according to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, Kyiv hopes it will pave the way for additional U.S. weapons, particularly Patriot air defense systems, to bolster its defenses against Russia’s missile attacks.