Ukraine to visit US for post-war deal talks on mineral exploitation, reconstruction

Ukrainian officials are scheduled to visit the United States later this week for discussions regarding a potential agreement on the exploitation of mineral resources and the rebuilding of infrastructure following the war.

According to sources familiar with the situation, the delegation will include deputy ministers from Ukraine’s economy and justice ministries, Caliber.Az reports per US media.

However, no senior political figures will be present at this stage of the negotiations, as consultations with President Donald Trump’s administration are still at a technical level.

The visit, which is expected to take place on April 11-12, comes after Ukraine appointed an international law firm to assist in the negotiations. A spokesperson for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the visit but declined to offer further details, while the Economy Ministry has not responded to requests for comment.

Kyiv is reportedly pushing for better terms in the expected agreement, which could see the US claim a significant portion of the future revenues from Ukraine’s economy in exchange for financial aid provided during the conflict with Russia.

However, Ukrainian officials have made it clear that they do not consider the aid provided by the US under former President Joe Biden’s administration as a debt, and they are seeking a larger US investment as part of any profit-sharing arrangement.

The Ukrainian government is also wary that such a deal, and the privileges it might afford the US, could complicate its aspirations for European Union membership. Despite this, Kyiv is walking a delicate line, avoiding public criticism of the US while seeking to maintain support for its ongoing struggle against Russian forces.

The upcoming visit follows online talks held between the US and Ukraine in late March, which took place after the US presented a draft of the proposed agreement. These discussions coincided with peace talks led by Trump’s team in Saudi Arabia, although the momentum for these talks appears to have slowed. Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict has seen continued Russian airstrikes, with the latest barrage killing at least 20 civilians in the city of Kryvyi Rih on April 2.

By Aghakazim Guliyev