U
S. President Donald Trump announced the likelihood of signing a historic agreement on Ukraine's natural resource development as early as next week. This occurred during his meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White House on April 17, where the official emphasized the importance of the upcoming agreements between Washington and Kyiv. According to Trump, the current focus is on signing a "minerals agreement," which, in his conviction, should take place in the coming days — as early as next Thursday. He noted that the United States already has a signed memorandum of understanding that forms the basis for future arrangements. "We have an agreement on mineral extraction, and I am confident it will be signed during this period — probably next Thursday," he told journalists. The White House leader expressed hope that the Ukrainian side intends to implement this agreement, and every step closer to signing will be marked by particular attention. In response to a question about the details of the upcoming agreement, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, who was present at the meeting, emphasized that discussions regarding the format and conditions of the project are still ongoing. "Details are still being negotiated, but overall, the progress is that the agreements earlier reached with the Ukrainian side have been formalized into a concrete document," he said. According to Bessent, a document of about 80 pages is currently being prepared; it is referred to as the "agreement," and this is the version that the Ukrainian and American sides are expected to sign soon. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials are actively preparing to sign important documents. In particular, Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stressed that the process is moving in the right direction. She announced that a memorandum of intent between Ukraine and the United States is expected to be signed soon, which will serve as a link before establishing the mineral rights agreement itself. This indicates significant progress in cooperation, especially in the field of utilizing Ukraine's mineral resources. Amid these developments, Ukrainian experts and diplomatic sources are paying attention to the importance of such arrangements. They essentially open a new era of cooperation that will have strategic significance for Ukraine's economic growth and energy security, as well as strengthen its position on the international stage. At the same time, caution and a desire to carefully work out all details are observed from the United States and other partners to make this large-scale project as transparent and effective as possible. Therefore, the prospects for signing the "minerals agreement" between Ukraine and the United States, based on official statements and confirmations, look quite optimistic. This allows us to speak about the potential opening of a new chapter in cooperation, which will unite investment interests and reformist ambitions of the Ukrainian government with the U.S. desire to support the country during difficult times. Many details are still under discussion, but expectations for the quick implementation of intentions are growing, aiming to align interests of all parties and foster further development of Ukraine's energy and resource sectors in partnership with the United States.