**Trump Administration Offers Improved Minerals Deal to Ukraine**
The US President Donald Trump’s administration has given Ukraine a new version of a minerals agreement. The initial proposal was rejected by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to Axios, the improved draft is aligned with Ukrainian law and includes better security guarantees for the country. This move comes as tensions between Kyiv and Washington have been rising in recent days.
**Previous Proposal Criticized**
The original US proposal had sparked criticism from Ukraine. It sought a 50% interest in the country’s natural resources, including minerals, oil, and gas. Ukraine’s leader said he was not ready to sign the document as it did not include any security guarantees.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent delivered the initial draft to Zelensky during his visit to Kyiv last week. Ukraine has rejected several US proposals in the past few weeks, citing concerns over security and sovereignty.
**White House Comments**
A White House official said that negotiations with Ukraine are ongoing. “This is a negotiation. And in a negotiation, you negotiate. Ukraine wants to negotiate minerals, so we’re talking about it,” they stated.
Ukrainian President Zelensky has signaled Kyiv’s openness to a strong agreement on investments and security with the US. He said that Ukraine proposes the quickest and most constructive way to achieve results.
**Tensions Remain**
Despite the improved draft, tensions between Kyiv and Washington remain high. Trump has made several false claims about Ukraine in recent days, including calling Zelensky a “dictator” and accusing him of refusing to hold elections.
A Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent that Washington had initially sought to condition Ukraine’s signing of the memorandum on Zelensky’s meeting with US Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference on February 14.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com
