While the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal faces significant logistical and economic challenges that will limit its financial impact, it also opens the door to renewed conversations over the United States' continued financial and military support for Ukraine that could impede ceasefire negotiations with Russia. On Feb. 26, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said his country had reached an agreement with the United States to jointly develop Ukraine's mineral resources. The deal involves creating a joint investment fund where Ukraine will transfer 50 percent of the revenues from future projects to exploit state-owned mineral resources (including oil, natural gas and minerals). This fund will be jointly controlled by the United States and Ukraine and used to finance investment projects within Ukraine. The published version of the agreement mentions that the United States supports Ukraine's efforts to obtain the security guarantees necessary to ensure lasting peace and that the two sides will identify...
