Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Friday that Ukraine would not recognize past U.S. military aid as loans, following the U.S. sending a new draft agreement on mineral resources to Kyiv.
“Ukraine has received a new proposal from the U.S. regarding mineral resources, which is entirely different from the previous framework agreement,” Zelensky said. “We will not treat U.S. military aid as debt. We appreciate the support, but this is not a loan.”
Zelensky also ruled out negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing that Ukraine is not open to talks with Putin or any representatives of Russia. Instead, he suggested that Ukraine might engage with Russian businesses if they propose a way to end the war.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak expressed concerns about the revised U.S. mineral agreement. He described it as “unfavorable” and lacking security guarantees for Ukraine. Zheleznyak, who claimed to have received the latest draft of the agreement dated March 23, said it would grant the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources, including oil and gas, without providing security protections for Ukraine. He urged the Ukrainian government to seek changes to the agreement before it could be approved.
The new mineral resources deal is part of broader discussions between Ukraine and the U.S. about American access to Ukraine’s mineral wealth, which was initially proposed by Zelensky in his “Victory Plan” last October.
Former President Donald Trump has suggested that U.S. aid to Ukraine could reach as much as $350 billion, a significantly higher estimate compared to previous official figures. The U.S. has committed hundreds of billions of dollars in military and economic assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict with Russia in 2022.
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