[pierrem15]

I always found the whole deal rather strange since much of minerals are either in a war zone or under Russian control and both the US and Ukraine have the option to walk away from the deal whenever it suits either party.

Any payoff for the US is a long way down the road and any implicit security guarantee based on US interests in Ukraine is dubious at best.

[Rockingham]

The complaint from Russia — with some justification — is that the US is a meddler in the Russo-Ukraine conflict because it lacks a traditional state interest that justifies support for Ukraine. Trump's answer to that is to negotiate with Ukraine and acquire tangible economic interests in the region. That answers the Russian objection and places US support for Ukraine on a basis other than that of advancing NATO's security strategy against Russia.

Another and perhaps clearer example of the importance of this little-mentioned aspect of international relations is in China's Belt-and-Road Initiative of loans with bribes for infrastructure projects to various corrupt and foolish Third World countries. When the projects fail, China swoops in and enforces the loan, often with severe penalties and extortionate terms that yield de facto control of the country to the CCP.

Despite much criticism, China is within her rights under international law. Russia used the same approach during the Cold War with considerable success. Marxists would cheat or shoot their way to power in a Third World country. The new leaders would then go to Moscow and sign trade deals that effectively made the country a Soviet colony. Cuba is a prime example.

For Ukraine, a quick minerals deal with Trump and the US ought to have been a no-brainer. The problem of course was that Zelensky followed the advice of the Democrats to balk and make trouble for Trump. Now, even Zelensky knows better, so a deal gets signed.

[Sacajaweau]

This deal is just away of saying "nice puppy". "Z" actually gets nothing out of this. It's about paying us back.

We'll do a bigger deal with Russia eventually.

[Jumper]

It is only about Russian/Gazaprom Oil/Gas Pipelines in Ukraine before the war ends. The US wants to get pennies on the dollar in the expected Nordstream trade to save Germany’s A$$.