U.S.-Ukraine Minerals Deal: A Key Component of Post-War Security Architecture
May 1—The long-anticipated agreement between the United States and Ukraine to jointly develop Ukraine’s vast untapped mineral resources was finally signed in Washington yesterday. While specific details remain undisclosed and key components still require negotiation, sources close to the White House emphasize that the agreement is a crucial pillar of a new security framework designed to prevent renewed hostilities once a broader peace deal to end NATO’s war against Russia in Ukraine is finalized—something Trump officials suggest could happen in the coming days or weeks.
Under the agreement, Ukraine and the U.S. will jointly oversee a development fund investing in mineral resources—including heavy metals, rare earth elements, and energy reserves believed to exist in substantial quantities throughout the country. Extracting and refining these resources is an expensive process, and the United States has pledged to contribute financial resources, technology, and manpower. In return, the U.S. will receive a portion of the profits while reinvesting proceeds back into further development.
Security Guarantees and Strategic Peace Framework
Ukraine initially sought explicit security guarantees from the U.S. to protect its share of profits, which could eventually amount to tens of billions of dollars. However, the Trump administration declined, arguing that such commitments would effectively guarantee the broader peace deal. Ukrainian officials have expressed concerns that, absent these assurances, Russia could resume hostilities once Ukraine demobilizes its military.
President Donald Trump maintains that it is not the U.S.’s role to provide such guarantees, suggesting that European nations—acting independently of NATO—could do so instead. France and the United Kingdom have floated the idea but have yet to formally commit.
"But we believe this deal—with full U.S. involvement in Ukraine’s development and American personnel on the ground—creates a new kind of security architecture for long-term peace," a source explained. "Who would attack Ukraine knowing it would mean striking U.S. interests and risking American casualties? Do you think [Russian President Vladimir] Putin wants to do that? And why would he escalate beyond his stated goal of preventing Ukraine from becoming a NATO asset—especially if it risks a broader war? No one has ever explained the logic behind that scenario. Ukraine seems convinced that it needs military guarantees to prevent war. What President Trump is offering instead is a framework built on peace and economic development—an architecture stronger than even NATO at deterring future conflict."
A Long-Term Peace Vision Beyond NATO
Sources suggest that the agreement is not about preparing for conflict but rather about preventing war altogether through strategic security arrangements that make hostilities less viable. The full Ukraine peace settlement—expected to eventually end the conflict—must establish a lasting framework for stability, not just in Ukraine but across Europe.
Some argue that NATO resists this vision, as its existence depends on perpetuating threats of future wars to justify its role. Trump himself has criticized NATO’s post-Cold War relevance, recently stating that the alliance should have been dissolved when the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact collapsed in 1991.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in an official statement released during the signing, reinforced Trump’s commitment to peace:
"This agreement sends a clear message to Russia that the Trump administration is dedicated to a peace process built on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine for the long term. President Trump envisioned this partnership between the American people and the Ukrainian people to demonstrate both sides’ commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine."
He added:
"And to be clear, no state or individual who financed or supplied the Russian war machine will be allowed to profit from Ukraine’s reconstruction."
"Thanks to President Trump's tireless efforts to secure a lasting peace, I am glad to announce the signing of today's historic economic partnership agreement between the United States and Ukraine establishing the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund," Bessent said in a video posted on X. "This partnership allows the United States to invest alongside Ukraine to unlock Ukraine's gross assets, mobilize American talent, capital and governance standards that will improve Ukraine's investment climate an accelerate Ukraine's economic recovery."
Bessent signed the agreement on behalf of the U.S.
"I am grateful to everyone who worked for the agreement and made it more meaningful," said Ukraine First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who signed for Ukraine. "Now the document is such that it can ensure success for both our countries — Ukraine and the United States."
Resolving the Military Aid Repayment Dispute
One major sticking point was the status of hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S. military aid provided to Ukraine during NATO’s proxy war. Trump initially demanded that past expenditures be repaid through future mineral profits, a position that NATO-backed Ukrainian deictator Volodymyr Zelenskyy fiercely opposed, arguing that such a repayment structure would financially cripple Ukraine for decades.
According to sources, the finalized deal takes a different approach. Future arms sales will be counted as deposits into the joint development fund and will be repaid through profits from mineral exports. However, previous military aid expenditures will not be reimbursed—despite Congressional legislation stipulating repayment, albeit without specific terms.
"Coverage of this agreement as merely an economic deal misses the bigger picture," said a source. "It’s a standalone agreement that is actually a vital component of the broader peace deal rapidly approaching. That’s why the White House pushed to get it signed, even with some details still under discussion."
A Turbulent Path to Finalization
A prior signing ceremony was scheduled in February but unraveled when Zelenskyy caused a public spectacle at a White House press event and had to be escorted off the premises. That deal was never finalized. Sources familiar with both negotiations assert that this latest agreement is significantly more favorable to Ukraine.
The Treasury Department statement made no direct mention of a "minerals deal" but did confirm that the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation is collaborating with Ukraine to finalize the agreement’s terms.