The interim version of the US-Ukraine mineral development agreement will include provisions for mining by both state and private companies. The agreement will apply to the entire territory of Ukraine.
This was reported by People's Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak.
" I received this document yesterday from our government officials. According to my information, these 58 pages, which I read all evening, are dated March 23 and were supposedly sent to us by the American side. As a new draft agreement on minerals. Its further fate is unknown.
I'll say right away that this is not the final (!!!) document. And I hope the Ukrainian side will demand and achieve significant changes to it. But the text that I saw is downright HORRIBLE. All 18 chapters... This is no longer a framework memorandum of intent (which was before the scandalous meeting in the Oval Office). This is a big and very clear agreement. And it is not in our favor ," the politician wrote.
Zheleznyak briefly recounted the content of the agreement:
- The board is made up of 5 people, 3 of them from the US with full veto power.
- We are talking about all minerals. That is, there is oil, gas, both new and existing.
- Throughout the territory of Ukraine.
- We are talking about mining by both public and private companies.
- Money is converted immediately into currency.
- The fund's money is transferred abroad. If suddenly, for some reason on our part, something does not arrive, we pay extra.
- The US contribution is already providing us with assistance since 2022. And they can make a profit at their own discretion. And they receive "royalties" from the Fund first (and then Ukraine) +4%.
- The agreement is valid indefinitely. Changes or termination can only be made with the permission of the Americans.
- First-night rights to all new infrastructure projects and veto power over the sale of resources to other countries.
- Nothing about security guarantees. Not even a hint.
" That's not all. There's still a soooooooo much legal text. And it's all like this... Once again, this is the text that, according to my information (which very much coincides with what was written before and on "Dzerkal Tyzhnya"), was sent to us over the weekend. And it can and should be changed. Otherwise, I can't imagine how it can be ratified by Parliament. It's a long time to write, so I just highly recommend finding 20-30 minutes of time and listening to this analysis of the main innovations. There are a lot of them ," the people's deputy noted.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the United States is preparing a new draft agreement with Ukraine on mineral development. However, it will not address the issue of nuclear power plants .