Zelensky says minerals deal with US has equal benefits

UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelensky said this week that a landmark minerals deal with the US offered “equal” benefits for both sides, even though the accord offered no concrete security guarantees for Kyiv.

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Russia later launched a large-scale drone attack on the central industrial city of Zaporizhzhia, ripping open a Soviet-era residential building and wounding 14 people after Zelensky urged allies to step up pressure on Moscow to end its invasion.

The agreement, which has taken months to negotiate, would see Washington and Kyiv jointly develop and invest in Ukraine’s critical mineral resources. The agreement “changed significantly” during negotiations, Zelensky said in an address.

“Now it is a truly equal agreement that creates an opportunity for quite significant investment in Ukraine.”

“There is no debt in the deal, and a fund, a recovery fund, will be created that will invest in Ukraine and earn money here,” he added.

Kyiv and Washington planned to sign the agreement in February, but a White House clash between US Pres-

ident Donald Trump and Zelensky derailed the talks.

Ukraine hopes the deal will pave the way for the US to give security guarantees as it seeks to safeguard against future Russian attacks following Moscow's invasion.