Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergi Marsenko said today (24.4.2025) that Kiev and Washington have made progress in talks with the aim of reaching US privileged access agreement to minerals her Ukraine. However, the finalization of the agreement is not expected this week.
Last week, the two sides signed a “Memorandum of Intentions” as a first step towards finalizing the Ukrainian minerals’ strategic minerals.
“There has been progress and now our teams are working together very closely,” Marcenko said after an event organized by the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington. “There are still some issues we are discussing,” he added, without any further details.
The Ukrainian finance minister also said that his US counterpart Scott Bessed wants the issue of committed Russian assets to be included in a wider dialogue.
US President Donald Trump seeks to reach an agreement on the exploitation of Ukraine’s mineral wealth, in particular the precious rare earths, as compensation for the military and financial aid granted to Kiev by his predecessor to the White House, by the White House.