THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump had insisted he wanted “payback” for past aid, shifting America’s three-year alliance with Ukraine to a mercantile footing.
Ukraine has agreed to turn over the revenue from some of its mineral resources to the United States, an American and a Ukrainian official said on Tuesday, in a deal that follows an intense pressure campaign from President Trump that included insults and threats.
The final terms of the deal were unknown, and it was not immediately clear what, if anything, Ukraine would receive in the end after days of difficult, sometimes tense negotiations. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine had repeatedly pressed for security guarantees for his country in exchange for mineral rights, as Russia’s war has entered its fourth year.
Previous draft agreements reviewed by The New York Times included no such commitment. Mr. Trump had insisted he wanted “payback” for past military aid to Kyiv, shifting America’s alliance with Ukraine to a nakedly mercantile footing. » | Constant Méheut, Andrew E. Kramer and Alan Rappeport | Constant Méheut and Andrew E. Kramer reported from Kyiv, Ukraine, and Alan Rappeport from Washington. | Tuesday, February 25, 2025
