Leaked: US won’t block Ukraine’s EU path in mineral deal talks

The US will not hinder Ukraine’s obligations related to its European Union accession process in the upcoming US-Ukraine mineral deal, according to a ‘Memorandum of Intent’ seen by Euronews.

According to the one-page document, signed by Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko and US Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent on Thursday evening, a key round of negotiations is set to take place in Washington between 21 and 26 April.

“The United States respects Ukraine’s intention to avoid conflicts in the drafting of the agreement with Ukraine’s obligations under European Union accession or agreements with international financial institutions and other official creditors,” the document says. 

In early April, Ukraine sought to reassure Brussels that it would not steer away from its membership bid as a result of the negotiations with the US.

“It should be a partnership agreement, so on equal conditions for both sides,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said during a visit to Brussels.

These reassurances came after a draft version of the mineral deal, circulating at the end of March and leaked to the press, revived fears that it could derail the country’s ambitions to join the bloc.

What’s in the deal?

The proposed US–Ukraine mineral deal focuses on development and joint investment in Ukraine’s natural resources, including critical minerals like lithium, graphite, and uranium. 

The deal aims to establish a Reconstruction Investment Fund to support Ukraine’s post-war recovery in exchange for US access to key Ukrainian infrastructure and a share of the profits.