Donald Trump Insists on Urgent Signing of the Subsoil Use Agreement in Ukraine
High-level circles in the United States have once again called for accelerating the process of concluding a key agreement with Kyiv. Former U.S. President Donald Trump openly urged the Ukrainian authorities to sign a document regulating the development and exploitation of mineral resources, particularly rare earth elements. According to him, this agreement is one of the priorities for the American side, and its delay threatens further progress in the cooperation between the two countries. As reported by “European Pravda,” citing Trump’s post on the social network Truth Social, the former U.S. leader emphasized that the Ukrainian government under Volodymyr Zelensky has not yet completed the procedure for signing important documents related to the development of strategic natural resources. Trump stated: “The delay has already lasted over three weeks, and we hope the deal will be signed without further delay.” At the same time, he expressed confidence that “the urgent signing of this agreement should become a standard in our relations.” Additionally, this week, during a meeting between Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, it was revealed that the agreed-upon package of documents regarding economic partnership is not yet ready for signing. Given that this agreement is one of the key aspects of bilateral relations, its delay raises concerns not only among Ukrainian and American diplomats but also within international circles. Trump also commented on the broader diplomatic plans of the U.S. in the region. In his statement, he noted that work on the “peace agreement” between Russia and Ukraine, which is another important element for stabilizing the situation, is progressing “smoothly,” and, in his assessment, “success in this matter is already close.” This statement hints at confidence in the possibility of reaching a quick compromise and ending the conflict. Emphasizing that the U.S. continues working to support Ukraine through its immediate and strategic leverage, on April 17, the parties signed a Memorandum of Intent aimed at laying the foundation for new cooperation formats. The document envisions the creation of an Investment Fund for Ukraine’s reconstruction, which should become an important instrument for attracting investment resources into the process of rebuilding the destroyed infrastructure and economy of the country. Importantly, according to the memorandum, work on this investment mechanism should not hinder Ukraine’s European integration path and should be aligned with efforts to gain membership in the European Union. A significant focus in this news is that the U.S. advocates for accelerating processes in Ukraine’s natural resources sector, as their strategic importance remains a crucial element of diplomatic and economic negotiations. The signing of the subsoil agreement, along with the final approval of the investment memorandum, opens new opportunities for Ukraine to acquire necessary resources for restoring its economic potential and energy independence. At the same time, it raises questions about the responsible and transparent management of these resources. Overall, the situation around the subsoil agreement remains tense. Ukrainian government representatives acknowledge that the approval process requires a few more weeks, but Washington emphasizes that delays could negatively impact a broad range of economic and political priorities, including ongoing support for Ukraine in its confrontation with Russia. Thus, Ukrainian and global politicians and analysts are closely watching developments around these key documents, as their signing will be decisive for Ukraine’s future—economic, security, and geopolitical. In the coming weeks, it will become clear whether Kyiv can overcome internal difficulties and political obstacles to expedite the agreement and implementation of these important deals.