Ukraine and the United States are expected to sign the long-anticipated agreement on natural resources, according to one top Ukrainian official. The deal, set to be signed Wednesday, April 30th, in Washington, promises U.S. investment in Ukraine’s mineral wealth and a fresh commitment to the country’s reconstruction.
Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko traveled to Washington to formalize the deal. According to the senior Ukrainian official, the agreement includes a key provision: Ukraine will not be required to repay previous American aid as debt.
“Yes, we were planning to sign the deal today,” the senior Ukrainian official confirmed. “The United States also agreed to contribute to the reconstruction fund. For example, if the U.S. gives Ukraine air defense systems, their money … can be considered as a contribution to the fund.”
U.S. President Donald Trump had previously framed such a deal as a form of reimbursement for the billions of dollars in aid provided to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.
His earlier draft proposals had demanded sweeping concessions from Ukraine—including the surrender of revenues from minerals, oil and gas, ports, and other infrastructure, amounting to $500 billion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected those proposals outright. “I will not sign what 10 generations of Ukrainians will have to pay back,” he declared in February.
The current deal avoids the most controversial elements of the earlier drafts and marks a turning point in U.S.-Ukraine economic cooperation.
