Zelenskyy: US proposes new "large minerals deal" to Ukraine

The United States has proposed a new version of the minerals agreement to Kyiv, which will immediately provide for ratification in parliament beyond the original framework agreement.

Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a conversation with journalists on 25 March, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Zelenskyy noted that Washington had proposed a new version of the minerals agreement to Ukraine.

"This is a large, complete agreement, the vision of the American side. Following the earlier steps – such as the framework agreement and its subsequent development – the American side has now proposed a full agreement to us at once," he said.

Zelenskyy noted that the details of the new US proposal "are not yet available".

"This is already a serious document. But such a document will be developed by the parties and then submitted to the parliament for ratification," he added.

The president explained that "the issue of nuclear power plants is not there".

Background: 

• Zelenskyy's remarks come after US President Donald Trump announced that an agreement on rare earth metals would be signed with Ukraine "soon".
• Following talks in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Tuesday 11 March, the presidents of the United States and Ukraine agreed on an agreement on developing Ukraine's critical mineral resources.
• Afterwards, Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, announced that the Kyiv-Washington framework agreement on mineral resources had been finalised and that Ukraine was ready to sign it at any time.

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