Ukraine poised to ink rare-earth cooperation pact with Washington

Ukraine and the United States may sign a key agreement on economic cooperation in the rare-earth metals sector as early as today, April 30.

The deal is expected to be approved by the Ukrainian government during the day, Caliber.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.

First Deputy Prime Minister Yuliya Sviridenko is currently in Washington, where the final technical aspects of the agreement are being coordinated between the two sides.

One of the sources noted that Ukraine is “ready to sign the agreement today,” underscoring the advanced stage of the negotiations. The US and Ukrainian teams are reportedly finalising the last adjustments to the text.

Initial plans for a framework agreement on cooperation in the field of rare-earth resources were in motion earlier this year. In February 2025, Kyiv and Washington were set to formalise the deal, which is considered strategically important for Ukraine’s economic resilience and diversification, as well as for the US drive to reduce dependence on Chinese supplies of critical minerals.

However, the signing was derailed following a diplomatic fallout in March during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington. Tensions reportedly flared between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump, delaying the conclusion of the agreement.

In the weeks that followed, the US submitted a revised draft of the rare-earth mining agreement to Ukraine. A series of technical meetings took place online between the two countries to hash out the updated terms of cooperation.

By early April, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha confirmed that Kyiv had finalised its position on the matter and was preparing a government delegation for in-person talks in Washington.

On April 28, President Zelenskyy stated that the new version of the agreement is “stronger” and “more equitable,” suggesting that Ukraine had succeeded in negotiating improved terms that reflect its national interests.

If signed today, the agreement is expected to mark a significant step in Ukraine-US economic relations and bolster Ukraine’s strategic importance as a source of critical raw materials amid global supply chain realignments.

By Tamilla Hasanova