Munich, Germany (AP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he instructed his ministers not to sign a proposed agreement on the proposed agreement to allow the United States to visit Ukraine’s rare earths Minerals, because the document focuses too much on U.S. interests.
The proposal is a key part of Zelenskyy’s talks with the U.S. vice president at the interval between the Munich security meeting on Friday, but according to a familiar Ukraine current and former senior official, No specific security guarantees are provided. conversation.
Zelenskyy’s decision, at least at present, is called “short-sighted” by a senior White House official.
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“I didn’t let the minister sign the agreement because I don’t think it’s ready to protect us,” Zelenskyy told the Associated Press in Munich on Saturday.
Current and former Ukrainian senior official said the proposal focused on how the United States uses Kiev’s rare earth minerals “as compensation” to get the support the Biden administration has already provided to Ukraine and as payment for future aid.
Ukraine has a large number of key minerals used in aerospace, defense and nuclear industries. The Trump administration said it was interested in reaching them to reduce dependence on China, but Zelensky said any exploitation would need to be linked to Ukraine’s security assurances that would prevent future Russian aggression.
“To me, the connection between a certain security guarantee and a certain investment is very important,” the Ukrainian president said.
Zelenskyy did not elaborate on why he directed his officials not to sign the document, which was signed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bassent on Wednesday to Ukrainian officials.
“This is a colonial agreement and Zelenskyy cannot sign it,” the former senior official said.
White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes did not clearly confirm the proposal, but said in a statement: “President Zelensky feels about the excellent opportunity the Trump administration has proposed to Ukraine.” At a loss.”
The Trump administration is tired of sending additional aid to Ukraine, and Hughes said a mineral deal would allow U.S. taxpayers to “retrieve” funds sent to Kiev while developing Ukrainian economy.
Hughes added that the White House believes that “a binding economic connection with the United States will be the best guarantee for preventing future aggression and an integral part of lasting peace.” He added: “The United States recognizes this, and the Russians recognize it.” One thing, Ukrainians must recognize this.”
The senior official said U.S. officials were discussing Ukrainian counterparts in Munich and focused heavily on exploring the details of minerals and how to build possible partnerships with Ukraine.
The potential value of Ukrainian deposits has not been discussed yet, and it has not been explored or approached to the frontline.
The U.S. proposal clearly does not consider how to secure deposits while continuing Russian aggression. The official suggested that the United States has no “prepared answer” to the question, and one of their gains in the discussion in Munich will be how to ensure any mineral extraction action involving people and infrastructure in Ukraine.
Senior Ukrainian officials say any transaction must comply with Ukrainian law and be accepted by the Ukrainian people.
Kseniiia Orynchak, founder of the National Association of Mining Industry of Ukraine, told the Associated Press earlier that “the underground soil belongs to the Ukrainians.”
The senior official said Zelenskyy and Vance did not discuss details of the U.S. documents at the meeting at the Munich Security Conference on Friday. The senior official said the meeting was “very good” and “substantive” and Vance made it clear that his and Trump’s main goal was to achieve lasting, lasting peace.
Zelenskyy told Vance that real peace requires Ukraine to be in a “strong position” when starting negotiations, stressing that U.S. negotiators should come to Ukraine, the United States, Ukraine and Europe must negotiate with Russia at the negotiating table.
But despite Zelenskyy’s request, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, cut Europeans from any Ukrainian-Russian negotiations.
“You can have Ukrainians, Russians, obviously Americans talking about it,” Kellogg said at an event held by Ukrainian tycoons at the Munich Security Conference. He said whether this means not including Europeans, he said : “I’m a realist school. I don’t think this will happen.”
The official said Ukraine is now preparing for an “anti-joint” proposal that will be delivered to the United States in the “normal future.”
“I think the vice president has to understand that I’m going to sign something, and we have to understand that it will work,” Zelenskyy told the Associated Press.
That means “it will bring money and security,” he said.
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Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Washington, DC and Volodymyr Yurchuk and Susie Blann in Kiev, Ukraine.
