Ukraine-U.S. rare earth minerals deal doesn’t grant rights to resource extraction — Deputy PM Stefanishyna

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice, Olha Stefanishyna, stated this in an interview with Legal Practice.

“The agreement does not provide for the transfer of rights to use mineral resources or any ownership rights. It concerns the distribution of revenues to the state budget, part of which is allocated to the Fund. No legal consequences arise upon signing this agreement,” she explained.

According to Stefanishyna, Kyiv does not assume any obligations for actual payments or transfers of funds—these will only be determined after signing the agreement on the creation of the Fund and completing the necessary procedures.

She also emphasized that if the agreement involved the use of Ukraine’s mineral resources or rights to them, it would not only require ratification but also a referendum.

“After all, we all know the fundamental principle from the Constitution of Ukraine: natural resources belong to the people of Ukraine,” the Minister of Justice stressed.

Stefanishyna further explained that the Fund will be replenished with revenues generated from the rights to use Ukraine’s mineral resources.

“These funds will be directed to the Fund and reinvested in Ukraine. The Fund is expected to be jointly owned by Ukraine and the United States,” she added.

• Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that he would not characterize the agreement on Ukrainian rare earth minerals as a security guarantee for Kyiv.