US Gains Access to Ukraine’s Rare Earths Under New Economic Pact

The United States and Ukraine have officially signed an economic partnership agreement that grants Washington access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in exchange for the creation of a joint reconstruction investment fund, according to a CNN report.

The deal, signed after weeks of intense negotiations, marks a major shift in US-Ukraine cooperation and follows delays linked to disagreements over security guarantees and aid commitments. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the signing on Wednesday, calling it a clear message to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a long-term peace process centered on a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine.

“As the President has said, the United States is committed to helping facilitate the end of this cruel and senseless war,” Bessent stated. He said that no entity that supported the Russian war effort would be allowed to benefit from Ukraine’s reconstruction.

Ukraine’s Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko signed the agreement in the US on behalf of Kyiv. In a post on X, she said the fund would attract global investment into Ukraine’s recovery, while reiterating that all natural resources remain under Ukrainian ownership. “It is the Ukrainian state that determines what and where to extract,” she wrote.

The agreement, which was nearly derailed by a last-minute dispute over documentation, had been expected to be finalized during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the US in February. However, that visit was cut short following a contentious Oval Office meeting, delaying the signing.
A major sticking point in the negotiations had been Ukraine’s demand for security guarantees alongside the economic deal. Former President Donald Trump had reportedly resisted including such terms, insisting they be addressed after the economic agreement was finalized.

Ukrainian officials later suggested that increased US investment and corporate presence in Ukraine would naturally strengthen America’s stake in the country’s security. Shortly after Zelenskyy’s visit, Trump temporarily suspended US aid to Ukraine — a move that alarmed European allies and prompted renewed pledges of support from them.

While the full terms of the deal remain undisclosed, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal clarified on Sunday that the agreement does not include retroactive aid. Speaking on Wednesday, Shmyhal described the pact as “a truly equal and beneficial international agreement on joint investments in the development and recovery of Ukraine.”

He confirmed that both countries will contribute equally to the fund and share management responsibilities. Importantly, he added, future US military aid may be counted as part of America’s contribution to the fund.

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