The United States will not avoid Ukraine obligations related to its process of joining the European Union in the next mineral agreement between the United States and Ukraine, according to a “memorandum of intentions” seen by Euronews.
According to the document of a page, signed by the first Deputy Minister of Ukraine, Yulia Svydenko and the United States Treasury Secretary, Scott Besent, is expected to take a round of key negotiations in Washington from April 21 to 26.
“The United States respects Ukraine’s intention to avoid conflicts by writing the agreement with the obligations of Ukraine under the European Union or agreements with international financial institutions and other official creditors,” says the document.
At the beginning of April, Ukraine sought to ensure Brussels that would not depart from their accession request as a result of negotiations with the United States.
“It should be an association agreement, on equal terms for both parties,” said Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during a visit to Brussels.
These guarantees were given after a preliminary version of the mineral agreement, which circulated at the end of March and was released to the press, that it has revived the fears that the country’s ambitions could derive to join the block.
What does the agreement contain?
The proposed mineral agreement between the United States and Ukraine focuses on the development and joint investment in the natural resources of Ukraine, including essential minerals such as lithium, graffiti and uranium.
The agreement aims to create an investment fund for reconstruction to support the recovery of postwar Ukraine in exchange for US access to the main Ukrainian infrastructure and part of the profits.
