Ukraine urges against seeing rare earth minerals agreement with US as final document

ISTANBUL

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhyi urged against viewing the framework agreement on rare earth minerals with the US as a final document, according to the Russian Interfax news agency.

Tykhyi, at a briefing in Kyiv, stated that negotiations improved the text significantly. “For us, it is very important that the text does not mention debt, neither $500 billion nor any other obligations. In our view, when Congress allocated aid to Ukraine, it was not meant as a debt,” he said.

He noted that a clause on compensation for future aid at a rate of $2 per unit was removed from the document, and a joint investment fund is now envisioned.

“This agreement should be seen as a framework and the first step in the process. I urge everyone not to consider it a final document,” Tykhyi emphasized.

Regarding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s upcoming visit to the US on Feb. 28, the Foreign Ministry suggested that discussions will likely focus on further support.

“I believe they will discuss ongoing support and what further steps and documents will extend the framework agreement between the countries. The sides have agreed on this text, but what comes next—such as the creation of the fund and security arrangements—will follow from this framework agreement. I think this is what the delegation will focus on tomorrow,” said Tykhyi.

The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers has authorized Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko or Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to sign the agreement with the US.

“This means one of them will sign it. We will see tomorrow. I think this will still be coordinated during the visit,” added Tykhyi.