Ukraine announces breakthrough. It's about a deal with the US

The United States and Ukraine have worked out the final version of the agreement on Ukrainian mineral deposits, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Wednesday. Earlier, US President Donald Trump said he expected a visit from his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday.

The Ukrainian prime minister said that "the government is expected to approve (the final version of the agreement - ed.) on Wednesday." He added that the United States supports "Ukraine's efforts to receive security guarantees for building a lasting peace ."

Shmyhal noted that as part of the agreement between the United States and Ukraine , a special investment fund will be established.

The Financial Times reported Tuesday that Ukraine would contribute 50 percent of the proceeds from the “future monetization” of state mineral resources, including oil and gas , and related logistics, to the planned fund, which would invest in Ukraine’s reconstruction projects.

Trump said Tuesday during a news conference that President Zelensky is expected to come to Washington on Friday to sign a deal on rare earth metals mining in Ukraine .

- I heard he's coming on Friday, I certainly wouldn't mind if he wanted to sign it with me - said the US president.

His statement came hours after the British daily Financial Times reported that Ukraine had agreed to the terms of the agreement. As reported by the FT, Washington has dropped its most stringent demands on Kiev , including the right to $500 billion in potential revenue from the exploitation of these mineral resources.

The new text is supposed to say that the money will be used for investments in Ukraine . This is also supposed to be just a preliminary agreement. More detailed terms will be negotiated as part of a subsequent agreement.

Since early February, the Trump administration has been pushing an agreement that would provide the United States with access to Ukrainian deposits of rare earth metals. According to Washington, this would be a form of payment for American aid to Kiev.

Trump claims that the US has spent $300 or $350 billion on aid to Ukraine , although in reality the amount is at least half that. People close to Trump also argue that an "economic partnership" with the US would be a guarantee for Ukraine's future.

Kyiv has so far rejected Washington's proposed versions of the agreement, justifying it with the lack of specific security guarantees for Ukraine, which - according to Zelensky - must be a condition of the agreement. Kyiv also had a problem with the amount of the rate demanded by the American side. The Ukrainian president stressed that he "will not sign something that will later be paid for by 10 generations of Ukrainians".

Trump has reacted angrily to the Ukrainian leader's refusals so far, calling him a "dictator without choices." According to media reports, Washington has been pressuring Kiev to accept the agreement , threatening, among other things, to block the Ukrainian military's access to the Starlink satellite communications system.

More information coming soon.