White House and Ukraine Close In on Deal For Mineral Rights

[NJCher]

Source: Wall Street Journal

Agreement could help resolve tensions that flared up between Zelensky and Trump

snip

The U.S. and Ukraine are nearing a deal that would hand valuable mineral rights to the U.S., an agreement that the Trump administration has sought as compensation for military aid to fight off Russia's invasion, people familiar with the matter said.

Ukraine had refused to sign such a deal earlier this week, sparking a war of words between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and fears of a break in relations between Washington and Kyiv.

In an apparent nod to an impending deal, Zelensky said in a nightly video address Friday that teams of U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators were working on a draft agreement.

"This is an agreement that can strengthen our relations, and the key is to work out the details to ensure its effectiveness," he said. "I look forward to the outcome--a just result."

snip

Note: this story published at 5:36. Another one, for background, is posted below and was published at 5 p.m.
Stories are close together; obviously something is happening.

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/world/white-house-and-ukraine-close-in-on-deal-for-mineral-rights-e924c672?mod=latest_headlines

---

WSJ claiming this is an exclusive.

[Lovie777]

1. And Russia?

[NJCher]

5. I will paraphrase the rest of the story

Ukraine was given the deal last week by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Kyiv last week. They refused to sign at the time because they needed to study it and also wanted security guarantees. Ukrainians said they were only given a few hours to study it.

They're saying the exact terms could not be learned. Ukraine might sign it by Saturday, even though the proposal itself is not yet complete.

Trump's reaction today was: “I think they want it. They feel good about it.”

-----------

That's it for the story. I am checking a few things out about this and its relationship to the peace deal. I will post back if I find anything.

[NotHardly]

34. No they are not. Ukraine is not so stupid as to comply with the Orange King

[bromeando]

2. Mineral Rights

Mineral rights involve U.S. soldiers?

[cstanleytech]

4. That and fair market value as well as U.S. support to help them join NATO.

[NJCher]

6. where are you getting this?

Because the first paragraph says: "compensation for military aid to fight off Russia’s invasion, people familiar with the matter said."

Doesn't sound to me like there would be any compensation, just cancellation of the debt.

[cstanleytech]

3. Providing they are getting fair market value and a further agreement to repel the Russian invaders I'm ok with it.

[Emrys]

29. A previous draft had clauses effectively giving the US control over who could make use of the resources,

basically for ever. I don't know whether that would be adjusted in a later draft, but it would make it far less than a good deal whatever the quid pro quo is. And the idea that Trump would grant "fair market value" when he thinks he holds all the cards in any deal would be a novelty. Trump still insists the US has given a lot more aid than it actually has, and claimed today that the EU's aid was in the form of loans, which is, predictably, a lie.

We don't even know the scope of the resources being haggled over, let alone any monetary value. I doubt very much that Trump knows anything about strategic minerals, other than his having been told by Lindsey Graham they could be quite lucrative.

Ukraine does have not insignificant amounts of strategic minerals under its territory, not to mention the territory Russia's tried to grab in the east, where some of the heaviest lodes are believed to be for some of the minerals. But the economic feasibility of extracting them is another matter. That could have been a lever to get Trump to make some effort to get Russia out of the east, but with his hoped-for relationship with Putin, he's probably seek to do a deal with them as well.

At the moment, I could see Zelensky weighing this all up saying "fuck it" and going for a deal, but it has to guarantee the Ukrainians something meaningful in terms of future security. What's that saying about "Fool me once ..."? One problem is, if the Trumpians win that concession, what more are they going to start asking for?

Meanwhile, it makes the Trump administration look unspeakably tawdry and moneygrubbing. Trump may not care, but it may come back and bite him and them in ass one day.

[Lovie777]

7. Does Ukraine recoup their lands?

[bronxiteforever]

8. TSF"s words are meaningless. I will await

the fine print and see what actions the US will take and will these be bargained away with Putin.. Putin is grabbing as much territory as possible in his latest offensive ( claiming the Russians took 4 more villages yesterday).

[bluestarone]

10. AGREE! Why would anybody trust these traitors?

This will just give Ammo to the RETHUGS in our congress to speak out against Ukraine.

[bronxiteforever]

15. The update to the story makes this very unclear

Which makes me more concerned that he will just sell out Ukraine.

[NJCher]

9. Here's from a story published by WSJ an hour ago, around 5 p.m.

snip

Ukraine also has deposits of rare earths, essential in certain high-tech industries, including defense and renewable energy. While potentially plentiful, the reserves would require massive investment to develop, even in peacetime, and many are located in areas occupied by Russia.

Zelensky on Wednesday told reporters that the deal shown to him by Bessent had been “unclear,” apart from demanding 50% of a list of Ukrainian natural resources. The Ukrainian leader said he rejected that document but was ready to discuss a deal that also included U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine.

Zelensky said he was grateful for U.S. aid to Ukraine, which he put at around $100 billion in military and financial support. But he said Trump’s demand for $500 billion worth of minerals in return was excessive.

Still, he has said he is open to working on the proposal and striking a security-and-economic agreement.

snip

https://www.wsj.com/world/trump-ukraine-mineral-deal-sign-e2ff7d3f?mod=article_inline

[BeyondGeography]

11. "The key is to work out the details."

He’s turning the temperature down and buying time.

[NJCher]

12. ahhh

you may have something there.

Enormous pressure is being placed on Zelensky by the U.S. In two additional paragraphs at the 5:00 p.m. story, it was said that the U.S. pushed the paperwork at Zelensky and demanded he sign it.

So what you say makes sense and that Zelensky just needs to get the pressure off for a time.

Also, what I can't figure out is why is trump demanding a $500 billion when we have only spent $100 billion on their defense? And why is it so imperative that this be settled now? Would that be so trump can tell Putin he can transfer these assets to him, since he badly needs cash?

I don't really understand the way this mineral rights agreement has an impact on the peace talks.

[BeyondGeography]

16. Because ManBaby needs a win

And to satiate his greed fetish.

The deal as proposed is an embarrassment to our country. These are terms you impose on a defeated aggressor, not a friendly ally who has been invaded. It should go nowhere in the end.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

33. He's still a loser no matter what he gets from Ukraine

People at home are pissed off over the whole DOGE BS.

[bronxiteforever]

17. That timing is weird and concerning with a Putin

I agree it looks as if Ukraine is buying time.

[JI7]

20. So contracts can be given to Trump connected people

which most likely means Russian and Putin aligned businesses.

[Lovie777]

13. NATO and EU support....

not Hungary and that other nato country.

[CNYHarris]

14. First demands were worse than the Treaty of Versailles

These were the first demands by Trump:

[Marcuse]

18. "I told you to investigate Biden. Now you have to pay."

"You were always going to betray us to Putin anyway."

[NJCher]

19. update

Story was updated at 6:36 with this:


snip

In an apparent nod to an impending deal, Zelensky said in a nightly video address Friday that teams of U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators were working on a draft agreement.

“This is an agreement that can strengthen our relations, and the key is to work out the details to ensure its effectiveness,” he said. “I look forward to the outcome—a just result.”

snip

[William Seger]

21. We've given a total of $69.2B in aid to Ukraine since 2014

... and His MAGAsty was demanding $500B repayment while "negotiating" with Russia, without Ukraine or NATO, to end Putin's invasion by giving him everything he wanted — for now? I do believe the gaslighting must be getting to me; I must be going nuts or soon will.

[OldBaldy1701E]

22. This is a travesty. (n/t)

[turbinetree]

23. Blackmail is still blackmail............

and he still a 34 count traitor or fraud ...........Zelensky really should tell him to go pound sand lots of it.............

[NJCher]

24. just checked for updates

Nothing since the one at 6:36, so nothing to add.

[Bayard]

25. I know Ukraine is sick to death of this war,

But this would plainly be giving in to extortion, and encourage Russia to keep going. Don't do it, President Zelensky! There has to be another way.

[Diamond_Dog]

26. Interesting .... from the article:

”Zelensky’s administration had itself floated the idea of Ukraine granting preferential access to its mineral resources last year, hoping that it would entice Trump to continue military support for Kyiv by offering the U.S. some economic benefit.”

[Deuxcents]

27. Have Ukraine admitted in NATO and then sign, if they must, but not until the ink is dry

[surfered]

28. It would seem those rights would end if Russia were to take the country over.

That would seem to mean Trump would defend the country against a Russian takeover.

Of course, Trump has lied once or twice before.

Europe must step up and do it now!

[Karasu]

30. If Trump walks away with Ukraine's resources, all that's going to do is embolden him.

Last edited Sat Feb 22, 2025, 02:37 AM - Edit history (1)

The stupid fucking Greenland shit will become so much worse.

[FB47243]

31. Bad Deal?

Perhaps not a bad deal. Fifty percent of the desired minerals are in occupied ukrain territory such as Crimea etc. this may not be a bad deal depends on how it’s structured. US gets mineral rights to that half and uS supplies needed military equipment to drive Putin completely out and ukrain gets territory back.

[cliffside]

32. Missed your post and just posted the full NYT article here ...

in reply to another post.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143401834#post9

[4catsmom]

35. DON'T DO THIS ZELENSKY

THEY WON'T HONOR THEIR WORDS

[mdbl]

36. I hope they know whatever agreement dump gives them

He won't honor.

[Ray Bruns]

37. That's why they should agree to it and balk at it when it is convenient for Ukraine.

Take a lesson fromt the Stinky playbook