Ukraine's PM says agreement with US on minerals to be linked to security guarantees

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal has said that Kyiv is not considering signing a minerals agreement with the United States without linking it to security guarantees. This is already included in the draft agreement.

Shmyhal said on the air during the national joint 24/7 newscast that Ukraine and the United States have prepared a draft agreement on economic cooperation, known as the "subsoil agreement", and it is a preliminary agreement on creating an investment fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine. 

"We do not consider signing any agreements without security guarantees... This agreement is directly tied to security guarantees. Neither the President of Ukraine nor the Government of Ukraine will consider this agreement and its signing in isolation from security guarantees for Ukraine.

Clause 10 actually says that this agreement on the fund is an integral element of the architecture of bilateral and multilateral agreements, as well as concrete steps to establish lasting peace, strengthen economic and security stability," he stated.

European Pravda sources reveal that paragraph 10 of the document states: "This Bilateral Agreement and the Fund Agreement will constitute integral elements of the architecture of bilateral and multilateral agreements, as well as concrete steps to establish lasting peace, strengthen economic and security resilience, and reflect the goals outlined in the preamble of this Bilateral Agreement."

The US government supports Ukraine's efforts to achieve the security assurances required to create long-term peace. Participants will strive to identify any steps required to protect mutual investments as outlined in the Fund Agreement."

Denys Shmyhal stated that the administration will discuss the wording of the subsoil agreement to be signed with the United States at a meeting on 26 February.