Washington - Saba:
The US State Department confirmed on Saturday that the US deal with Kyiv regarding natural resources is not linked to the ceasefire process in Ukraine, noting that it represents a beneficial partnership for Ukraine.State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told Fox News: "This is a separate matter (the mineral deal) and is not part of the ceasefire negotiations. It is not part of the agreement to stop this catastrophe."
"What is important for Ukraine, of course, is the issue of economic partnership," she added.
Earlier, Yulia Sviridenko, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, announced that "the United States and Ukraine have signed a memorandum confirming their intention to finalize an agreement on rare earths."
Sviridenko said on social media: "Today we took a step towards a joint economic partnership agreement with the United States."
She added: "Ukraine and the United States signed a memorandum confirming the constructive cooperation between our teams and our intention to finalize an agreement that will benefit our people." She explained that the text of the agreement will be finalized and signed, then ratified by the Ukrainian parliament.
Last month, Trump said that Volodymyr Zelenskyy would face very big problems if he rejected the rare earths deal between Washington and Kyiv, adding: "I see that Zelenskyy is trying to back out of the deal, which has already been agreed upon, and he says he wants to review the terms of the agreement."
Western media reports indicated that Washington presented Kyiv with a new version of the agreement on natural resource exploitation in Ukraine.
Western media reports indicate that the new version includes more stringent conditions for Kyiv, and stipulates not only rare earths but also assumes American control over virtually all of Ukraine's natural resources.
Ukrainian officials have strongly criticized the changed terms of the metals deal with the United States, saying the proposal could undermine their country's sovereignty, send profits abroad, and deepen its dependence on Washington.
According to Western media, the new draft agreement reflects a sharp escalation of Trump's efforts to control lucrative sectors of the Ukrainian economy and its resources. Other officials in Kyiv say the deal is unfair, while a third group considers it theft.
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