Description: Ukraine and the US are set to renegotiate the disputed rare earth minerals deal after the initial draft was leaked to the public and heavily disputed by Ukrainian experts. The first draft saw Ukraine effectively giving ownership to deposits of rare earth minerals to the US as well as critical oil and gas natural resources. Ukraine’s Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko stated that the new agreement would approach the issue from a standpoint of protecting Ukraine’s strategic interests and substantially boosting the country’s economy. She also added that several experts would be included in the negotiations, including sectors such as security and foreign affairs. Proposals for a joint investment fund where private companies would be involved have been floated around although no concrete information has been published. The news of the renegotiation arrive in a stalled-out peace negotiations which saw the US amicably reproaching Russian bilateral relations.
Impact: The heavily disputed subject of Ukraine’s vast rare earth mineral deposits emerges in a sensitive time of the proverbial peace negotiations. Russia has strenuously rejected every US proposal for an alleged ceasefire as the parties have nominally agreed to peace in the Black Sea and the seizure of attacks on critical infrastructure. Trump’s imposition of tariffs would propel the US administration into diversifying the US’ economic portfolio in which rare earth minerals play a crucial role. The US hasn’t given any security guarantees to Ukraine in exchange for the exploitation of the deposits which is the main obstacle in realizing a potential agreement. Russia would aim to sabotage any possible agreement between the US and Ukraine as their no concessions stance remained adamant.