Ukrainian premier says previous US aid to Kyiv will not be included in minerals deal
ISTANBUL
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that previous aid provided by the US to his country will not be included in the minerals deal being negotiated between Kyiv and Washington.
“Agreements have been reached that the document does not include assistance provided before its signing,” Shmyhal said in a statement on Telegram late Sunday, summarizing his delegation’s visit to the US to conduct discussions on the document.
Expressing that he held an “important” meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during his visit, Shmyhal said that their legal teams are working on the document and are making “good progress.”
“The main thing is that we have clearly defined our red lines, the agreement must comply with European obligations, and also not contradict the Constitution and legislation of Ukraine,” Shmyhal further said, noting that the deal must also be ratified by parliament.
Shmyhal also said Ukraine has secured financing for the whole of this year, including covering what he said to be a deficit of $39 billion from international partners.
He added that the restoration of Ukraine was also one of the key topics of the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, during which they discussed long-term prospects with American business and financial partners.
He said Ukraine already has confirmed $50 billion in income from frozen Russian assets, and that these funds are being used for “budgetary needs, fixing military spending and rapid recovery.”
“But our goal is complete confiscation. In addition to their confiscation, we proposed introducing a special duty on the import of Russian goods, the proceeds from which will be directed to the Ukraine Recovery Fund,” he added.
Shmyhal’s visit to the US comes after Kyiv and Washington signed a memorandum of intent over a potential critical minerals deal, which will pave the way for an economic partnership and setting up the fund for the reconstruction of the war-torn country.
According to the memorandum, Shmyhal-Bessent talks were planned to support the conclusion of “technical” discussions on establishing the investment fund.
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