The agreement was signed by ministers S. Bessent and Yu. Sviridenko.
Photo: US Department of the Treasury
Washington and Kyiv signed a contract regarding the management of Ukraine's natural resources after several months of diplomatic disputes.
Within the framework of the agreement signed on April 30, an investment fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine will be established.
The US Department of the Treasury interpreted the signing of the document as a reflection of President Donald Trump's commitment to "support a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine."
Ukrainian experts interviewed by DW noted that opinions on the agreement were divided into two camps. One group of analysts viewed the understanding with the Trump administration as a diplomatic achievement. Another group of experts believes that "the US has trapped Ukraine."
It is worth noting that the document was approved by ministers rather than presidents as initially planned. The agreement was signed by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yuliya Sviridenko.
According to the document, Washington and Kyiv will create a joint fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine and attracting investments. All natural resources in Ukraine will remain under Kyiv's control. The fund will operate on a "50/50" principle, meaning both parties will have equal voting rights in management and profits.
Analyst Ilya Neskhodovskiy believes that the agreement with the US is of significant importance for Ukraine.
"We will give a portion of the income from our resources to the US in exchange for military, financial assistance, and American investments. Americans, assured of controlling the investment spending, will invest even more in the Ukrainian economy," says Neskhodovskiy.
Former Ukrainian Minister of Economy, now head of the Kyiv School of Economics, Timofey Milovanov also rated the agreement positively.
"This is a huge political and diplomatic victory for Ukraine. It will give Trump a sense of internal political victory, and as a result, the attitude towards Ukraine will become more positive. Ukraine was able to protect its interests within the framework of the agreement. The partner's previously imposed harsh demands on Ukraine were canceled despite strong pressures," says T. Milovanov.
However, another group of analysts criticizes the agreement for lacking any clause guaranteeing security for Ukraine. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky has been insisting that the US should provide security guarantees in exchange for managing natural resources.
"It is important to understand that the agreement is political in nature. It is a step towards renewing relations with the US. However, it does not include security guarantees, which is a serious problem for Ukraine," argues Yevgeniy Magda, director of the Institute of World Politics.
According to him, the security agreements Ukraine previously signed with international partners are more beneficial than the contract made with the US.
It should be noted that the White House administration has exerted strong pressure on Ukraine to sign the agreement regarding natural resources. In particular, President Trump stated that the US has provided $350 billion in aid to Ukraine since the war began and demanded that the Kyiv government return $500 billion in compensation through its natural resources.
President Zelensky stated that the US has provided not $350 billion, but $100 billion, and that it was allocated as a grant, not a loan.
"I will not sign an agreement that will be a burden on the shoulders of ten generations of Ukrainians," Zelensky refused to sign the initial document proposed by Washington.
As previously reported, the planned meeting at the White House to sign an agreement regarding natural resources between Washington and Kyiv ended with an unprecedented diplomatic conflict between Trump and Zelensky.
