The USA exert pressure to gain control of all large future investment in infrastructure and minerals in Ukrainepossibly gaining control over any role of the rest of Kiev’s allies and undermining his efforts to join the European Union.
The government of US President Donald Trump requires the “right of first bid” to invest in all infrastructure and natural resources projects in the context of a revised partnership agreement with Ukraine, according to Bloomberg. If accepted, the agreement will attribute enormous power in the US to control investment in Ukraine in projects such as roads and railways, ports, mines, oil and gas and critical minerals.
It would be an unprecedented expansion of US economic influence on the largest country in Europe, just when it is trying to align with the EU.
The agreement will provide the US the first claim on profits transferred to a special reconstruction investment fund controlled by Washington. According to Bloomberg, the US considers that the “material and economic benefits” provided to Ukraine after the full -scale Russia invasion in February 2022 are their contribution to the fund.
In fact, this would mean that the Trump government would oblige Ukraine to pay for the entire military and financial support provided by the US from the start of the war before Kiev received any income from the Corporate Fund.
The United States handed over a revised deal to officials in Kiev last weekend, after plans to sign a previous agreement by Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski collapsed after a strong confrontation with the Oval Office with Trump. The White House said last week that the government was going beyond the previously negotiated agreement covering critical minerals in Ukraine.
The discussions continue between the two sides and the final plan may contain revisions of the terms. Ukraine will probably respond to the US document with its own amendments this week, a person who knows the matter told Bloomberg News.