Ukraine ready to sign Trump's minerals deal

Ukraine says it's ready to sign President Trump's minerals agreement as soon as Wednesday, almost two months after a contentious White House meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky derailed talks on the deal.

The two sides plan to sign the agreement on Wednesday in Washington, multiple outlets reported. 

Ukrainian first deputy prime minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, is travelling to Washington to ink the agreement, according to Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. 

"We are finalising the last details with our American colleagues. As soon as all the final details have been finalised, I hope that the agreement will be signed in the near future, within the next 24 hours,” Shmyhal told the Ukrainian Telemarathon on Wednesday. 

The Hill has reached out to the White House, National Security Council and Ukraine’s embassy in D.C. for comment. 

“President Trump has said that the time to get this done is now, and we are moving with all deliberate speed towards this end," a Treasury Department spokesperson told The Hill in an emailed statement on Wednesday. 

"The United States is committed to the quick conclusion of this vital agreement, and to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine,” the spokesperson added.

Trump and his administration have been pushing to end the three-year war in Eastern Europe and have warned that if progress does not result soon, the U.S. could step away from its facilitator role. 

Ukraine has long called for security gaurantees from the U.S. as part of any peace deal. Earlier versions of the agreement made vague allusions to security. Trump officials have argued that U.S. investment in Ukrainian mines would bring implied protection from Russian attacks.

Ukraine and the U.S. signed a memorandum, which was released on April 18, to finalize a formal agreement on economic partnership between the two countries and establish a “reconstruction investment fund.” 

The memo, which was penned by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Svyrydenko, said the two nations hope to wrap up discussions by April 26 and therefore sign the deal “as soon as possible.” 

A source familiar with the discussion told The Hill on Wednesday that the signing of the deal can happen on Wednesday if Ukraine satisfies the memo’s intent and agreed-upon terms.

The source suggested Ukraine was attempting to reopen settled terms of the deal, including the transparency mechanism, the governance fund and ensuring that funds are traceable. 

Shmyhal said on Monday that under the agreement, previous U.S. assistance to Ukraine would not be counted as part of the minerals agreement. 

Zelensky has declined to sign the previous proposals of the deal, which requires Ukraine to relinquish a major share of its future oil, gas and mineral revenues.

Zelensky was expected to ink the deal in late February during his visit to Washington, but that was called off his meeting with Trump and Vice President Vance devolved into a shouting match.