US has 'moved beyond minerals deal' to focus on lasting ceasefire in Ukraine, White House says
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Washington has moved on from a minerals deal with Kyiv to focus on achieving a lasting ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press briefing on March 19.
Leavitt said that did not mean a deal for the U.S. to develop Ukraine's mineral resources was off the table, but that the two sides had "moved beyond just the economic minerals deal framework, and (are) looking at a lasting ceasefire" in Ukraine.
After weeks of tense negotiations, the deal was set to be signed on Feb. 28, but that plan was derailed after a public clash between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, leaving the agreement's fate uncertain.
After the U.S. froze military assistance for Kyiv, Zelensky issued a statement in which he called the spat "regrettable" and reaffirmed his readiness to sign the minerals deal and work toward peace.
Reuters reported that the deal was expected to be signed on March 4, but this claim was disputed by U.S. officials, and no agreement was signed.
The long-debated agreement would establish a fund to which Ukraine would contribute 50% of proceeds from the future monetization of state-owned mineral resources, including oil, gas, and logistics infrastructure.
The U.S. reportedly put forth three proposals of the mineral deal, but the Ukrainian side turned down the first two because they did not include security agreements, even as Washington ramped up the pressure.
The third version was also void of concrete security commitments but included a line reading that the fund "will be reinvested at least annually in Ukraine to promote the safety, security and prosperity of Ukraine."
The Trump administration has been reluctant to commit to Ukraine's security, arguing that the economic agreement is a security guarantee of itself and that Europe should take responsibility for Kyiv's defense.
