By SABRINA PENTY

Published: 15:30 BST, 18 April 2025 | Updated: 15:30 BST, 18 April 2025

Advertisement

Donald Trump said on Thursday that the US would sign a new minerals deal next week, in an apparent reference to talks with Ukraine . Speaking to reporters at an Oval Office press conference, the US president said: 'We have a minerals deal', noting that the accord could be signed as early as next week. Several hours later, Ukraine said that Kyiv and Washington had signed a memorandum as an initial step towards clinching an agreement on developing mineral resources in Ukraine.

Donald Trump said on Thursday that the US would sign a new minerals deal next week, in an apparent reference to talks with Ukraine . Speaking to reporters at an Oval Office press conference, the US president said: ‘We have a minerals deal’, noting that the accord could be signed as early as next week. Several hours later, Ukraine said that Kyiv and Washington had signed a memorandum as an initial step towards clinching an agreement on developing mineral resources in Ukraine.

Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine's first deputy prime minister and economy minister, announced that the memorandum had been signed on social media, writing: 'We are happy to announce the signing, with our American partners, of a Memorandum of Intent, which paves the way for an Economic Partnership Agreement and the establishment of the Investment Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine.' A Ukrainian delegation travelled to Washington at the end of last week for negotiations after the Trump administration offered a new, more expansive deal.

Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister and economy minister, announced that the memorandum had been signed on social media, writing: ‘We are happy to announce the signing, with our American partners, of a Memorandum of Intent, which paves the way for an Economic Partnership Agreement and the establishment of the Investment Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine.’ A Ukrainian delegation travelled to Washington at the end of last week for negotiations after the Trump administration offered a new, more expansive deal.

The initial framework agreement that was agreed to has never been signed. Trump has pushed for a compact that would allow the US to have privileged access to Ukraine's natural resources and critical minerals in what he casts as repayment for military aid provided by Washington to the war-torn nation under former President Joe Biden.

The initial framework agreement that was agreed to has never been signed. Trump has pushed for a compact that would allow the US to have privileged access to Ukraine’s natural resources and critical minerals in what he casts as repayment for military aid provided by Washington to the war-torn nation under former President Joe Biden.

Sitting alongside Trump in the Oval Office on Thursday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: 'We're still working on the details' and that the signing could come by next Friday. 'It's substantially what we'd agreed on previously,' he said. 'When the president was here, we had a memorandum of understanding. We went straight to the big deal, and I think it's an 80-page agreement and that's what we'll be signing.'

Sitting alongside Trump in the Oval Office on Thursday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: ‘We’re still working on the details’ and that the signing could come by next Friday. ‘It’s substantially what we’d agreed on previously,’ he said. ‘When the president was here, we had a memorandum of understanding. We went straight to the big deal, and I think it’s an 80-page agreement and that’s what we’ll be signing.’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said earlier that the two countries could sign the memorandum online later in the day. 'This is a memorandum of intent. And we have positive, constructive intentions,' Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv. He added that the offer to sign the memorandum before the comprehensive deal, which would require ratification in the Ukrainian parliament, had come from the US side.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said earlier that the two countries could sign the memorandum online later in the day. ‘This is a memorandum of intent. And we have positive, constructive intentions,’ Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv. He added that the offer to sign the memorandum before the comprehensive deal, which would require ratification in the Ukrainian parliament, had come from the US side.

Kyiv and Washington had been close to signing a deal until a February clash between Trump and Zelensky temporarily derailed work on the agreement. The agreement comes after it was reported yesterday that Trump had scaled back his demand that Ukraine repay $300 billion in exchange for US war aid. The US president insisted in the early days of his administration that his opposite number in Kyiv must compensate the US for all the aid provided to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

Kyiv and Washington had been close to signing a deal until a February clash between Trump and Zelensky temporarily derailed work on the agreement. The agreement comes after it was reported yesterday that Trump had scaled back his demand that Ukraine repay $300 billion in exchange for US war aid. The US president insisted in the early days of his administration that his opposite number in Kyiv must compensate the US for all the aid provided to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

In February, he dispatched US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Kyiv to propose a highly exploitative resources-for-aid deal that would hand vast Ukrainian oil, gas, and mineral reserves to Washington. The plan drew sharp criticism from Kyiv and European allies, who noted that the sum of US aid packages to that date amounted to $175 billion - around $70 billion of which was spent domestically on US weapons manufacturing.

In February, he dispatched US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Kyiv to propose a highly exploitative resources-for-aid deal that would hand vast Ukrainian oil, gas, and mineral reserves to Washington. The plan drew sharp criticism from Kyiv and European allies, who noted that the sum of US aid packages to that date amounted to $175 billion – around $70 billion of which was spent domestically on US weapons manufacturing.

Zelensky swiftly rejected the proposal, declaring he would not 'sell his country' and challenging claims Ukraine had received so much aid, which he also stressed was not a loan. Tensions peaked days later in a now infamous Oval Office clash in which Zelensky's visit to the White House devolved into a bitter spat between him, Trump and US Vice President JD Vance. Now, however, both sides are citing positive progress in negotiations toward a new version of the mineral deal, as Bloomberg reported Trump had lowered his demand for repayment to $100 billion.

Zelensky swiftly rejected the proposal, declaring he would not ‘sell his country’ and challenging claims Ukraine had received so much aid, which he also stressed was not a loan. Tensions peaked days later in a now infamous Oval Office clash in which Zelensky’s visit to the White House devolved into a bitter spat between him, Trump and US Vice President JD Vance. Now, however, both sides are citing positive progress in negotiations toward a new version of the mineral deal, as Bloomberg reported Trump had lowered his demand for repayment to $100 billion.

Zelensky said further talks were planned in the coming days, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Bloomberg the deal could be signed 'as early as this week'. Suggestions that talks on the minerals deal were progressing mark a notable change in tone after sources last week said negotiations were 'antagonistic'. Trump also said Thursday that he doesn't hold Zelensky 'responsible' for Russia's invasion of his country but continued to criticize the pro-Western Ukrainian leader. Trump has repeatedly made the false claim that Ukraine started the war and this week accused Zelensky of responsibility for 'millions' of deaths.

Zelensky said further talks were planned in the coming days, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Bloomberg the deal could be signed ‘as early as this week’. Suggestions that talks on the minerals deal were progressing mark a notable change in tone after sources last week said negotiations were ‘antagonistic’. Trump also said Thursday that he doesn’t hold Zelensky ‘responsible’ for Russia’s invasion of his country but continued to criticize the pro-Western Ukrainian leader. Trump has repeatedly made the false claim that Ukraine started the war and this week accused Zelensky of responsibility for ‘millions’ of deaths.

'I don't hold Zelensky responsible but I'm not exactly thrilled with the fact that that war started,' Trump said at the White House alongside visiting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. 'I'm not blaming him, but what I am saying is that I wouldn't say he's done the greatest job, OK? I am not a big fan.' Zelensky earlier this week invited Trump to visit Ukraine to see war devastation for himself, in a Sunday interview with CBS that Trump responded to with threats against the TV network.

‘I don’t hold Zelensky responsible but I’m not exactly thrilled with the fact that that war started,’ Trump said at the White House alongside visiting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. ‘I’m not blaming him, but what I am saying is that I wouldn’t say he’s done the greatest job, OK? I am not a big fan.’ Zelensky earlier this week invited Trump to visit Ukraine to see war devastation for himself, in a Sunday interview with CBS that Trump responded to with threats against the TV network.

Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Visit our profile page and hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.

Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Visit our profile page and hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.

:
Trump says minerals deal to be signed next week after Ukraine talks

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk