Media: Trump administration pressures Ukraine with new economic deal draft

The Trump administration is intensifying its demands on Ukraine, presenting a fresh draft of an economic deal that calls for greater concessions from Kyiv.

The new proposal comes at a critical time as efforts to broker a cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia have stalled, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Wall Street Journal.

The draft, revealed by Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak, suggests that Ukraine could be required to surrender future profits from a range of economic projects to reimburse the U.S. for financial and military aid since the start of the war in 2022. Ukraine has estimated U.S. aid at $100 billion, while President Trump has claimed the figure to be as high as $350 billion.

This new version of the agreement significantly expands on a previous framework that Kyiv and Washington had nearly finalized before a dispute between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump in February. Under the revised draft, the U.S. is asking for not only profits from Ukrainian mineral projects but also control over state and private oil and gas resources, including both existing and new ventures.

Zheleznyak, who first broke the news of the document in a YouTube video, expressed skepticism about the deal’s viability, particularly in securing parliamentary approval. “To be honest, in this version, it’s unlikely going to get through,” he said.

Trump administration officials, however, remain optimistic. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed on Fox News that the revised draft had been submitted to the Ukrainian government for review. “We took advantage of the gap in time to move to a completed agreement,” Bessent said, expressing confidence that the deal would be signed quickly.

Despite this, there are growing concerns about the deal's impact on Ukraine’s sovereignty. The new proposal, which lacks any security guarantees—a key demand from Zelenskyy—has been seen as a further blow to Kyiv's negotiating position.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy addressed the situation on Thursday, emphasizing that the new deal required thorough analysis. “First the lawyers worked on one agreement, then another, and in the end, they agreed on a framework agreement, and now there’s a new rule,” Zelenskyy said during a press conference in France. He added that Ukraine had been presented with several versions of the agreement, urging a cautious approach to the negotiations.

For the moment, Zelenskyy has made it clear that Ukraine does not want to send the wrong signals to Washington. “We support cooperation with the U.S. and do not want to encourage the U.S. to halt aid to Ukraine or stop intelligence sharing,” he said. Maintaining U.S. support remains crucial for Ukraine, especially as it continues to navigate its ongoing conflict with Russia.

The pressure to reach an agreement with the U.S. comes as Moscow pushes for sanctions relief in exchange for a cease-fire in the Black Sea, complicating efforts to bring an end to the conflict. U.S. officials, however, suggest that sanctions relief will be contingent on Russian actions, with Trump potentially using sanctions as leverage during negotiations.

By Khagan Isayev