Ukraine and the United States were prepared to sign an agreement with much expected mineral resources on Wednesday, but the problems between the two parties arose at the last minute, a source told ABC News in the Ukrainian President’s office.
Both parties were ready to sign the agreement on critical minerals and other resources on Wednesday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and a source in the Ukrainian President’s office.
But, at the last minute, the United States said they wanted to sign the main mineral resources agreement and the creation of the investment fund document signed at the same time, said the Ukrainian source.
Ukraine had planned to separate the signature dates, since the creation of the Fund agreement was still ending, added the source.
“Now they will hurry to finish it,” said the source.
The United States played the Ukraine account, saying they were “ready to sign” the agreement, but the Ukrainians decided Tuesday night “to make some last minute changes,” according to the secretary of the Treasury, Scott Besent.
“Our team is ready to sign,” Besent said at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday with President Donald Trump and other senior officials.
President Donald Trump welcomes the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in the White House in Washington, on February 28, 2025.
I CURTIS/AP
“The Ukrainians decided last night to make some changes of last minute. Well, we are sure that they will reconsider. And we are ready to sign this afternoon if they are,” Besent added.
When asked what was changed, Besent said there has been “no change on our side.”
Trump then put the mineral resources agreement in “context”, talking about the amount that the United States has given to the war effort of Ukraine. But it seemed optimistic about the possibility of the agreement to join.
“But we haven’t seen the fruits of that deal yet. I suspect we will,” Trump said.
Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy originally signed the mineral agreement at the end of February, but the plan was derailing after a tense time between the two men in the Oval office.
This is a development story. Consult the updates again.
