Why did Zelensky not allow the US to use Ukrainian minerals?

^{Photo: Global Look Press}
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the agreement on US access to Ukrainian mineral resources “does not protect us and our interests.” He said this in an interview with journalists at the Munich Security Conference.

Zelensky stressed that he had ordered the ministers not to sign the document because he was not satisfied with its quality.

“I think it is not ready yet. It does not protect us and our interests. It is very important for me to talk about investments in Ukraine. It must be legally correct. If all issues are related to these security guarantees, then you can think about how the profits from this will be distributed. But so far I do not see this connection in the document,” he said.

The president clarified that the agreement on US access to minerals should have been linked to security guarantees for Ukraine.

Zelensky does not intend to transfer the rights to 50 percent of Ukraine's mineral resources to the US

The Ukrainian president refused to sign the relevant agreement. He also discussed with US representatives his proposal for a mining agreement prepared in accordance with the Ukrainian constitution.

US Senator Brian Schatz said after meeting with the Ukrainian president that Trump's proposal "needs to be improved", but refused to discuss details. He stressed that Zelensky's "claims about the one-sidedness of the agreement are fair."

Ukrainian resources access in exchange for security guarantees

According to Trump, he and Zelensky intend to conclude a $500 million agreement on granting American investors access to rare earth and gas fields in Ukraine in exchange for security guarantees in a future peace treaty with Russia.

The idea of ​​giving the West the right to extract minerals from Ukraine was also mentioned in Zelensky’s “victory plan” presented to then-US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in the fall of 2024.

On February 3, Trump began talking about this option again, which caused a huge uproar among Western politicians and the media. On February 7, Zelensky said in an interview with Reuters that the United States would have priority in developing Ukraine’s natural resources because “the Americans have helped more than anyone else.” Follow “Zamin” news on “Telegram”