this post was submitted on 25 Feb 2025
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Kyiv has agreed terms with Washington on a minerals deal that Ukrainian officials hope will improve relations with the Trump administration and pave the way for a long-term US security commitment.

Ukrainian officials say Kyiv is now ready to sign the agreement on jointly developing its mineral resources, including oil and gas, after the US dropped demands for a right to $500bn in potential revenue from exploiting the resources.

The officials argued that they had negotiated far more favourable terms and depicted the deal as a way of broadening the relationship with the US to shore up Ukraine’s prospects after three years of war.

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[–] [email protected] 96 points 3 days ago (1 children)

They should know better than to trust Trump to hold up his end of a deal.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 days ago (1 children)

If Trump renegs the US gets nothing. This is awful but the real politik is probably that this is the best solution Ukraine can access that stops the violence.

And it's possible Zelensky is planning to reneg on the deal as soon as Trump is out if America can accomplish that.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 days ago

Zelensky should absolutely reneg. In his shoes, I'd sign about anything, but I'd also be willing to tell the US to fuck off in the end.

[–] [email protected] 72 points 3 days ago (1 children)

it's a trap, never trust trump, a trump never pay his debt, he's a crook

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You spelled United States wrong

[–] [email protected] 17 points 3 days ago

The US has the special ability to blame all bad things on their current president and definitely not the country as a whole.

Contrary to every other country in the world.

[–] [email protected] 75 points 3 days ago

Now they dont have nukes OR minerals

[–] [email protected] 25 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

FFS. So the US successfully extorted Ukraine. World leaders need to stop fucking doing business with trump. Shit like this just makes him worse.

And the idea that this will keep the US in their corner is beyond stupid. He'll be demanding more within a month. Fuck trump and fuck America.

[–] [email protected] 59 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Ukrainian officials say Kyiv is now ready to sign the agreement on jointly developing its mineral resources, including oil and gas, after the US dropped demands for a right to $500bn in potential revenue from exploiting the resources.

... then what, exactly, remains in the deal?

Ukrainian officials added that the deal was just a “framework agreement” and that no revenues would change hands until the fund was in place, allowing them time to iron out any potential disagreements. Among the outstanding issues is to agree the jurisdiction of the agreement.

I can't help but still feel this is a bad idea.

[–] breakfastmtn 68 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I can't help but still feel this is a bad idea.

Totally. But Ukraine's in an impossible situation. The US running a protection racket is fucking disgusting.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 days ago

A protection racket involves actual protection though, the USA has specifically said no security agreements will be made.

I'm not sure wtf Ukraine is giving them rights for.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 3 days ago (2 children)

It is disgusting, but I also don't see what Ukraine gets out of this. It's not a protection racket if protection isn't provided in exchange. I don't know that I would even rightly call it extortion, since I don't think Ukraine signing this will affect Trump's behavior as a Putinist puppet.

I hope the stress and necessity of looking after his own country during wartime, not to mention dozens of other national leaders, hasn't led Zelensky or his team to underestimate just how ghoulish and empty Trump is, or how fucked US politics are at the moment, if they're hoping for a "Come to Jesus" moment from the GOP or judiciary if Trump blatantly turns against Ukraine.

[–] breakfastmtn 8 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I'm sure they know exactly who and what Trump is. I don't think it'll change Trump's behaviour either. I'm assuming they're just gambling against the odds that it will because the near future without the US is much harder for Ukraine than it is with them.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 days ago

I hope that they're stalling, or that the agreement is just something that looks good to Trump's shit-clogged brain without promising anything substantial. Or something with a subtle poison pill or loophole in it of some sort that would make 'calling in' the benefits difficult, at least for so long as the war goes on.

But I'm inclined to agree that this seems like they're just gambling that any chance of US help is better than none.

Still. I really hope it isn't.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago

Well, my heart goes out to the Ukrainian people, but obviously they don't need Trump invading as well. Would he follow through? All I can say is I'm not convinced he wouldn't.

So ashamed of my country these days...

[–] [email protected] 34 points 3 days ago
[–] [email protected] 26 points 3 days ago

Is FT seriously trying to spin this as if Ukraine achieved anything in negotiations? American extortion won.

[–] avidamoeba 26 points 3 days ago

Good luck. You're gonna need it.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Uh huh. So now that we're not being terribly-exploited by Ukraine any more and Trump can announce that he has brilliantly cut a deal which will, no doubt, make America great again, are we ramping supply of military hardware back up?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 days ago (1 children)

To "peacekeeping forces" under the command of Russia, to secure the minerals, of course. /s

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago

its easier to build mining infrastructure and then let russians take it over again

[–] [email protected] 16 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Is there any info on what Ukraine gains from this, other than "improved relations"?

[–] breakfastmtn 11 points 3 days ago

Doesn't seem like there's anything in writing.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Probably a share of any developed resources. And defence today. Probably not enough to consider this deal, I hope it is time limited

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago

No defense agreement at all as far as I can tell. Just some ambiguous insinuation that trump and Russia will make a better deal because of it.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 3 days ago

Ukraine should know better than to appease dictators

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 days ago

Ukraine should offer to investigate the Bidens for return of Crimea.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 days ago
[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I wonder if Ukraine is calling Trump's bluff.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Trump doesn't have to bluff anything. I've seen a few comments now suggesting that Zelenskyy somehow has the upper hand and is negotiating from a position of strength while Trump is weak.

Ukraine and Zelenskyy have absolutely no leverage over Trump. Zip, notta.

I hope Ukraine wins this war. I hope Putin pisses off Trump and Trump resumes full support for Ukraine. I hope Putin is destabilized and better leadership replaces him.

But Zelenskyy is no position to "call" anything and Trump has no reason to bluff.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

But Zelenskyy is no position to “call” anything and Trump has no reason to bluff.

I don't think this is a 'bluff' or being 'called', but I do feel the need to point out that this is a similar situation to the tariffs on Canada and Mexico - Trump seeks a 'win' by looking 'tough'. Insofar as he can be made to seem weak or foolish, such deals are a loss for him. Zelensky is, arguably, in a position to 'call' simply because Trump seems very likely to rescind aid and take Russia's side regardless of what Zelensky does.

But again - I don't think this is a bluff or a call. And not knowing the details of the agreement makes it even hazier.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Gotcha. I see better where you're coming from now. Yeah, Zelenskyy needs to be very very careful.

edit: mixed up commenters but the comment above is insightful and turn out right.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Sorry, hate to be like this, but I have a small correction for you. “Notta” isn’t a word. The word you’re looking for is “nada”, which is “nothing” in Spanish.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago

Welcome to the world of evolving languages! There's notta problem here.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago

I'd love if they went "well, the deal was for these resources in Crimea, and since they're not under our border any more, we can't deliver!"

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago

If it's a fair deal for Ukraine and Trump sticks to it, who knows maybe this will turn out for the better. Yeah I'm skeptical but I want to see peace in Ukraine.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Jesus. That man has aged ten years for every year of the war effort

[–] Punchshark 4 points 3 days ago

So they gave up their minerals and will continue to be invaded. Great deal!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

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