Ukraine balks at signing Trump deal to hand over its mineral wealth – POLITICO
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Summary

Ukraine is hesitating to sign a U.S.-backed deal that would grant American companies access to 50% of its rare earth minerals in exchange for continued military support.

President Zelenskyy cited legal concerns and the lack of security guarantees.

The deal, pushed by Trump allies, aims to showcase Ukraine’s value to U.S. interests while reducing reliance on Chinese minerals.

However, Kyiv’s 2021 strategic partnership with the EU complicates negotiations, as European leaders resist surrendering shared resources to Washington. Talks remain ongoing.

  • FlowVoid@lemmy.worldEnglish
    43·
    5 days ago

    The US promised they would not invade Ukraine, but they never promised they would protect Ukraine.

    • ShepherdPieEnglish
      14·
      5 days ago

      The US promised to aid Ukraine should they ever be invaded after giving up their nuclear arms. Go read the Budapest Memorandum, specifically section 4.

      • FlowVoid@lemmy.worldEnglish
        51·
        5 days ago

        Section 4:

        The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and The United States of America reaffirm their commitment to seek immediate United Nations Security Council action to provide assistance to Ukraine, as a non-nuclear-weapon state party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, if Ukraine should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used

        The US promised to seek action from the UN Security Council if Ukraine suffered or was threatened with nuclear attack.

        Ukraine hasn’t suffered a nuclear attack. Even so, the US did seek action from the Security Council, but it was predictably vetoed by Russia.

        • barsoap@lemm.eeEnglish
          91·
          5 days ago

          Commas. “object of act of aggression” and “object of threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used” are two different, independent, conditions.

          And btw China seems to be enforcing the latter. They independently gave Ukraine nuclear guarantees, just shy of calling it a nuclear umbrella, and there has been a suspicious absence of nuclear threats against Ukraine while there’s no shortage of Russian threats against NATO.

          • FlowVoid@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            5 days ago

            There are no commas in the text. And even under your interpretation, the US is only obligated to seek action by the UN Security Council. They have done so.

        • rosco385@lemm.eeEnglish
          6·
          5 days ago

          American promises aren’t worth shit. Just ask the Native Americans, the Kurds, and probably a bunch more countries.