Volodymyr Zelenskyy 'not ready' to sign mineral deal with US, trying to make changes: Report

Times of India ^ | 2/22/2025 | World Desk

[marcusmaximus]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is "not ready" to sign a mineral deal with the United States, deepening the rift between the United States and Ukraine.

"In the form in which the draft is now, the president is not ready to accept, we are still trying to make changes and add constructiveness," a Ukrainian source told AFP.

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The latest terms appear to be more stringent than the earlier version.

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The new proposal, dated February 21 and examined by The New York Times, requires Ukraine to surrender 50% of its revenues from natural resources, including minerals, gas, oil, and earnings from ports and infrastructure.

-snip-

The document stipulates that revenues will go to a US-controlled fund, requiring Ukraine to contribute until reaching $500 billion - Trump's demanded amount for American assistance.

This sum, exceeding Ukraine's pre-war economic output twofold, was not mentioned previously. The purpose of this amount - whether for past or future support - remains unclear.

The updated proposal indicates that the US might reinvest some revenue into Ukraine's reconstruction, including development of subsoil assets and infrastructure.

The agreement might be concluded by Saturday, though delays are possible given Zelensky's previous objections.

America has provided $119 billion in aid to Ukraine, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

[WeaslesRippedMyFlesh]

He’ll be lucky if the deal includes his survial.

[simpson96]

It’s over, Volo.

[marcusmaximus]

Nana Sajaya- Fox News:

Source involved in minerals deal talks tells me Ukrainian side made suggestions to the agreement text and sent it to the American side. No specific timeline for what’s next.
I’m also told, IF AGREED, it will be signed by Sec. Rubio and Ukrainian FM Sybiha.

[RoosterRedux]

Biden spoiled him.

[Arcadian Empire]

Russia is being very constructive and positive and communicating ways that Russia and America can work together successfully for mutual economic benefit and an ongoing peaceful connection.

Zelensky is being the dictator that he is.

The choice of who to do business with is obvious.

[rdcbn1]

It's like when your house burns down and you don't have the money to rebuild.

Plan A You can sell the smoking pile of rubble to a speculator for whatever you can get for it at a huge loss and be out on the streets while the speculator rebuilds to make windfall profits on your misfortune.

Plan B Or you can partner with a third part to fund and partner in the reconstruction of your home to make it better than it was before and either co own the home or re pay the funding partner back over time.

Trump is offering the Plan B option to Ukraine to protect the Ukrainian people from the EU vultures who plane on imposing the first option.

Zelensky has had speculators line up to buy from him on Plan A terms and none of them are happy with Trumps Plan B being sprung on them

[pepsi_junkie]

He seems to have a condition that peace is contingent on unconditional surrender by Russia, with the same as saying he wants peace never.

[Arcadian Empire]

President Trump will make a deal with Russia.

[Arcadian Empire]

Zelensky has two choices:

1. The Trump train

or

2. The train to Moscow

[marcusmaximus]

Zelensky countered with $100 billion agreement.

[escapefromboston]

I find his bargaining posture rather dubious

[SMARTY]

FAFO

[marcusmaximus]

“Poland has acquired Starlink for Ukraine. We pay and will continue to pay the subscription fee for satellite Internet for Ukraine. I cannot imagine that someone could decide to terminate a business agreement for a commercial service where Poland is involved” — Polish Digitalization Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski

[bimboeruption]

[MalPearce]

Apart from some rare earth metals in the southwest corner of occupied Donesk where it borders eastern Zaporizhzhia - so around Mariupol. Otherwise, there isn't actually that much else in occupied areas to get excited about.

Russia, with China, is focusing on the most lucrative deposits in this area.

There were actually far bigger, but less exotic, deposits across Dniprovsko-Donetska and Voronezhska - areas which have been fully reclaimed by Ukraine.

Everything else of mineral worth is in Ukrainian territory Russia has thus far failed to set boots in. That includes the Ukrainian held northern half of Zaporizhzhia oblast, the population of which dwarfs the farmland and small towns in the occupied south. (A true referendum of that oblast would've had the vatnik seccessionists outvoted three to one, and would've killed the lie that ethnic Russians who speak Russian all wanted Russian annexation - over half of that population is Russian speaking and ethnic Russians who fled the occupation.)

If President Trump really does think he can do a deal that includes rare earth deposits, he must be angling for Zaporizhzia Oblast and even part of to be returned to Ukraine. Otherwise, his numbers don't add up.

[BobL]

Zelensky shouldn’t have gotten Trump impeached.

[DesertRhino]

The mineral deal is sketchy. We spend decades petting about freedom and democracy. Turns out we just wanna get paid?
And it’sa horrific idea to go into a joint venture, forever, with corrupt Ukrainians.
That filthy place has already done enough damage to America.

[DesertRhino]

Those areas are gone forever. They were accepted and annexed into the Russian federation.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "Poland has acquired Starlink for Ukraine. We pay and will continue to pay the subscription fee for satellite Internet for Ukraine. I cannot imagine that someone could decide to terminate a business agreement for a commercial service where Poland is involved” — Polish Digitalization Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski

That's pretty snappy reporting there.

As you provided no citation for the quote, here is the source:

SPRAVDI — Stratcom Centre
Spreading the truth, fighting fakes and shooting down propaganda. The Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security of Ukraine.
10:57 AM · Feb 22, 2025

Also reported by Interfax-Ukraine, Ukraina Pravda, censor.net, RBC-Ukraine and by others, about two hours ago, and all seeming to refer to Ukrainian sources.

It is already a fascinating example of news spreading by third party referemce, as Reuters picked up the story wihout linking to a tweet from Gawkowski directly. Ditto with TVP World.

Here is his X thread, showing no quote from him in this matter.

Krzysztof Gawkowski @KGawkowski Wicepremier RP, Minister Cyfryzacji

The latest tweet from him to date seems to be 5 January 2025.

Would you care to source this to Gawkowski directly, because in the momentit seems this is a rather broad "reporting" through mostly Ukrainian sources?

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

A nice graphic from Lyellcollection.org, a British geological site. One wonders if it jives with what the Zelensky administration is offering / negotiating with President Trump, if indeed this is going further.