Ukraine will dispatch a senior delegation to Washington next week to begin talks on a possible agreement that would grant the United States access to Ukraine’s rich mineral resources, Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said in a visit to northern Ukraine on Saturday.
US retains interest for co-investment
Svyrydenko emphasized that talks have been ongoing for months and the new draft agreement indicates sustained US interest in establishing a long-term partnership. “The new US draft agreement indicates that the will to set up a fund or co-invest is still there,” she said.
Delegation comprises Ukraine’s top ministries
The delegation will include representatives from the Ministries of Economy, Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Finance. The representatives will lead negotiations on creating a mineral resource alliance, which could further economic relations between Ukraine and the United States.
Negotiations test US-Ukraine relations
The envisioned mineral resource partnership has been a linchpin in Ukraine-US relations, pushing to the limit the resilience of collaboration between both nations in the face of overall geopolitical challenges. The prospective deal is envisioned to include strategic investment and mutual access to essential resources essential for defense, energy, and technology industries.