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| Ukraine official says terms of minerals deal agreed with US | Ukraine official says terms of minerals deal agreed with US |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Haul trucks carry ore from an a mine in central Ukraine (file photo) | |
| Ukraine has agreed the terms of a major minerals deal with the US, a senior official in Kyiv has told the BBC. | Ukraine has agreed the terms of a major minerals deal with the US, a senior official in Kyiv has told the BBC. |
| "We have indeed agreed it with a number of good amendments and see it as a positive outcome," the official said, without providing any further details. | "We have indeed agreed it with a number of good amendments and see it as a positive outcome," the official said, without providing any further details. |
| Media reports say Washington has dropped initial demands for a right to $500bn (£395bn) in potential revenue from utilising the natural resources but has not given firm security guarantees to war-torn Ukraine - a key Ukrainian demand. | Media reports say Washington has dropped initial demands for a right to $500bn (£395bn) in potential revenue from utilising the natural resources but has not given firm security guarantees to war-torn Ukraine - a key Ukrainian demand. |
| US President Donald Trump said he was expecting his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington to sign the deal this week, after the two leaders exchanged strong words about each other. | US President Donald Trump said he was expecting his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington to sign the deal this week, after the two leaders exchanged strong words about each other. |
| Without confirming that an agreement had been reached, Trump said on Tuesday that in return for the deal Ukraine would get "the right to fight on". | Without confirming that an agreement had been reached, Trump said on Tuesday that in return for the deal Ukraine would get "the right to fight on". |
| "They're very brave," he told reporters, but "without the United States and its money and its military equipment, this war would have been over in a very short period of time". | "They're very brave," he told reporters, but "without the United States and its money and its military equipment, this war would have been over in a very short period of time". |
| Asked whether supplies of US equipment and ammunition to Ukraine would continue, he said: "Maybe until we have a deal with Russia... We need to have a deal, otherwise it's going to continue." | Asked whether supplies of US equipment and ammunition to Ukraine would continue, he said: "Maybe until we have a deal with Russia... We need to have a deal, otherwise it's going to continue." |
| There would be a need for "some form of peacekeeping" in Ukraine following any peace deal, Trump added, but that would need to be "acceptable to everyone". | There would be a need for "some form of peacekeeping" in Ukraine following any peace deal, Trump added, but that would need to be "acceptable to everyone". |
| Just last week, Trump described Zelensky as a "dictator", and appeared to blame Ukraine - not Russia - for starting the war, after the Ukrainian leader rejected US demands for $500bn in mineral wealth and suggested that the American president was living in a "disinformation space" created by Russia. | Just last week, Trump described Zelensky as a "dictator", and appeared to blame Ukraine - not Russia - for starting the war, after the Ukrainian leader rejected US demands for $500bn in mineral wealth and suggested that the American president was living in a "disinformation space" created by Russia. |
| Trump has been pushing for access to Ukraine's minerals in return for previous military and other aid to the country since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion three years ago. | Trump has been pushing for access to Ukraine's minerals in return for previous military and other aid to the country since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion three years ago. |
| Zelensky argued nowhere near that much American aid had been provided, adding: "I can't sell our state." | Zelensky argued nowhere near that much American aid had been provided, adding: "I can't sell our state." |
| On Tuesday, Trump said the US had given Ukraine between $300bn and $350bn. | On Tuesday, Trump said the US had given Ukraine between $300bn and $350bn. |
| "We want to get that money back," he said. "We're helping the country through a very very big problem... but the American taxpayer now is going to get their money back plus." | "We want to get that money back," he said. "We're helping the country through a very very big problem... but the American taxpayer now is going to get their money back plus." |
| Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna told the Financial Times - which first reported the minerals deal on Tuesday - that the deal was "only part of the picture". | Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna told the Financial Times - which first reported the minerals deal on Tuesday - that the deal was "only part of the picture". |
| "We have heard multiple times from the US administration that it's part of a bigger picture," said Stefanishyna, who has led the negotiations. | "We have heard multiple times from the US administration that it's part of a bigger picture," said Stefanishyna, who has led the negotiations. |
| According to Ukrainian sources, the US has had to back away from some of its more onerous demands from the war-torn nation and many of the details of this agreement will require further negotiation. | According to Ukrainian sources, the US has had to back away from some of its more onerous demands from the war-torn nation and many of the details of this agreement will require further negotiation. |
| The precedent, however, is set. US aid in the Trump era comes with strings attached. Aid for aid's sake – whether given for humanitarian or strategic reasons – is a thing of the past. | The precedent, however, is set. US aid in the Trump era comes with strings attached. Aid for aid's sake – whether given for humanitarian or strategic reasons – is a thing of the past. |
| That represents a fundamental reordering of American foreign policy for more than 75 years, from the days of the Marshall Plan to post-Cold War idealism and George W Bush's "Freedom Agenda" push to promote global democracy. | That represents a fundamental reordering of American foreign policy for more than 75 years, from the days of the Marshall Plan to post-Cold War idealism and George W Bush's "Freedom Agenda" push to promote global democracy. |
| Ukraine is just the start. Expect Trump and his foreign policy team to apply their "America First" principles around the world over the course of the next four years. | Ukraine is just the start. Expect Trump and his foreign policy team to apply their "America First" principles around the world over the course of the next four years. |
| Ros Atkins on... the fight for Ukraine's critical minerals | Ros Atkins on... the fight for Ukraine's critical minerals |
| Ukraine's news site Ukrainska Pravda reported that the minerals deal was set to be signed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. | Ukraine's news site Ukrainska Pravda reported that the minerals deal was set to be signed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. |
| The news site's economics unit EP said the two countries had also agreed to set up a reconstruction investment fund. | The news site's economics unit EP said the two countries had also agreed to set up a reconstruction investment fund. |
| Ukraine holds huge deposits of critical elements and minerals, including lithium and titanium, as well as sizeable coal, gas, oil and uranium deposits - supplies worth billions of dollars. | Ukraine holds huge deposits of critical elements and minerals, including lithium and titanium, as well as sizeable coal, gas, oil and uranium deposits - supplies worth billions of dollars. |
| Last year, Zelensky presented a "victory plan" to Ukraine and its Western partners which proposed that foreign firms could gain access to some of the countries' mineral wealth at the end of the war. | Last year, Zelensky presented a "victory plan" to Ukraine and its Western partners which proposed that foreign firms could gain access to some of the countries' mineral wealth at the end of the war. |
| On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was open to offering the US access to rare minerals, including from Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine. | On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was open to offering the US access to rare minerals, including from Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine. |
| Ukraine and its European allies have become increasingly alarmed over a recent thaw in US-Russian ties, including their bilateral talks in Saudi Arabia last week. | Ukraine and its European allies have become increasingly alarmed over a recent thaw in US-Russian ties, including their bilateral talks in Saudi Arabia last week. |
| There is concern in Kyiv and across Europe that they might be excluded from any negotiations aimed at ending the war, and that the continent's future security as a whole could be decided behind their backs. | There is concern in Kyiv and across Europe that they might be excluded from any negotiations aimed at ending the war, and that the continent's future security as a whole could be decided behind their backs. |
| What minerals does Ukraine actually have? | What minerals does Ukraine actually have? |
| It is estimated that about 5% of the world's "critical raw materials" are in Ukraine - including: | It is estimated that about 5% of the world's "critical raw materials" are in Ukraine - including: |
| 19 million tonnes of proven reserves of graphite, which is used to make batteries for electric vehicles | 19 million tonnes of proven reserves of graphite, which is used to make batteries for electric vehicles |
| A third of all European lithium deposits, the key component in current batteries. | A third of all European lithium deposits, the key component in current batteries. |
| Before Russia's full-scale invasion began three years ago, Ukraine also produced 7% of the world's titanium, used in construction for everything from aeroplanes to power stations. | Before Russia's full-scale invasion began three years ago, Ukraine also produced 7% of the world's titanium, used in construction for everything from aeroplanes to power stations. |
| Ukrainian land also contains significant deposits of rare earth metals, a group of 17 elements that are used to produce weapons, wind turbines, electronics and other products vital in the modern world | Ukrainian land also contains significant deposits of rare earth metals, a group of 17 elements that are used to produce weapons, wind turbines, electronics and other products vital in the modern world |
| Some mineral deposits have been seized by Russia. According to Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine's economy minister, resources worth $350bn remain in Russian-occupied territories today. | Some mineral deposits have been seized by Russia. According to Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine's economy minister, resources worth $350bn remain in Russian-occupied territories today. |