Zelenskyy reports progress in U.S. minerals deal talks

He shared this information at a briefing in Odesa on April 15, as reported by Ukrinform.

According to him, the technical team meeting was successful.

"The negotiations took place and were positive. This was a meeting of the technical team. Meetings at this level in various formats will continue throughout the week. So far, both sides have completed their meetings positively. I believe this is a good result," Zelenskyy said.

He added that after all these consultations, once the teams are ready, they will present their findings.

Mineral deal: what is known

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday, March 27, that the U.S. has proposed signing a full agreement on minerals instead of a framework agreement.

On March 28, the media reported that the administration of US President Donald Trump had returned to the subsoil agreement a requirement for Ukraine to reimburse all the assistance the United States provided after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

During an hour of questions to the government in the Ukrainian parliament on March 28, Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed that the government had received a draft agreement from the United States on minerals.

Later, Zelenskyy commented on the new American draft agreement on Ukrainian rare earth minerals and said that it contained things that the parties had previously rejected.

On March 31, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wanted to back out of a key mineral deal.

On the same day, it became known that Ukraine and the United States discussed the American draft of the mineral agreement for the first time.

On April 8, Bloomberg reported that delegations from Ukraine and the United States would discuss a mineral deal on April 11-12.

On the same day, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said that Ukraine had already developed its position on the minerals deal with the United States and was now forming a group to go to the talks.

On April 9, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed that the technical negotiations on the minerals deal to be held in Washington on April 11-12 would be the first meeting to develop the main principles of the agreement. In particular, Ukraine will defend parity in the management of the fund.