The White House has announced that the deal on Ukrainian minerals grants the US the right of first choice to purchase Ukrainian resources or designate a buyer for them.
The US emphasizes that the “historic agreement” marks the beginning of a partnership for Ukraine’s reconstruction and “long-term economic success.”
According to UNIAN, the White House summarizes the essence of the agreement in several paragraphs, generally echoing what Ukraine’s Minister of Economy, Yulia Svyrydenko, had already stated. However, the US press release also highlights a point the Ukrainian government has not disclosed publicly—the US’s priority right to purchase Ukrainian natural resources.
“If the United States decides to acquire these resources for ourselves, we will given first choice to either acquire them or designate the purchaser of our choice. Economic security is national security, and this important safeguard prevents critical resources from falling into the wrong hands,” says the White House.
The full text of the agreement has already been published on the Ukrainian government’s website. It states that all new licenses for extracting Ukrainian minerals must include a clause requiring the license holder to sell the extracted resource to the US if the US expresses interest.
It also specifies that the sale will be conducted on market terms. The agreement further mentions that new licenses may include restrictions on selling resources to other parties. However, the published text of the agreement does not mention the US’s right to designate a specific buyer for Ukrainian resources.
Earlier, Sky News correspondent Ivor Bennett said that signing the mineral resources agreement could be good news for Ukraine, but it doesn’t necessarily pose trouble for Russia because it does not rule out a deal with Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin.
Russia might argue that the US business interests in Ukraine serve as a sufficient security guarantee for Kyiv. It could then use this argument to gain US support and prevent the provision of real security guarantees for Ukraine, such as the deployment of European peacekeeping forces.
