“The Agreement Is Not Ready”—Zelenskyy on Delaying US-Ukraine Rare Earth Deal

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine has postponed signing an agreement with the United States regarding rare earth minerals, as the document is not yet prepared to safeguard national interests.

Speaking to journalists at the Munich Security Conference on February 15, Zelenskyy emphasized that the deal requires further refinements, particularly in securing investment commitments and ensuring profit distribution mechanisms.

“I did not allow the agreement to be signed because it is not yet ready to protect our interests. It must include investment provisions, and there should be a clear mechanism for profit distribution. Additionally, security guarantees must be part of the agreement, which are currently absent,” Zelenskyy said.

The agreement, which is set to be signed at the ministerial level, is part of broader negotiations on US-Ukraine cooperation in strategic resource extraction. However, Zelenskyy noted that his administration has yet to approve the document in its current form.

“Ukraine is not refusing the agreement announced by former President Donald Trump, but the document is not yet ready for signing,” he stated. “I will not be the one signing it—this is done at the ministerial level—but as President, I have influence over its content.”

Zelenskyy reiterated that the deal must go beyond resource extraction and include elements beneficial to Ukraine, particularly in terms of economic and security considerations.

“This is about investments. Profit-sharing can be discussed, but only when security guarantees are clearly defined. As of now, I do not see them in the document,” he concluded.

He further stressed the importance of long-term national interests over immediate agreements.

“Our country, we signed a lot of different papers. But I don’t want paper. I want a document. (…) It’s not in our interest today. Not in the interest of sovereign Ukraine. I’m just a president. I’m a manager. And after my term, there will be another manager. These resources, they are not mine. They belong to our people. (…) This is a very serious matter,” Zelenskyy stated.

The future of the agreement remains subject to further negotiations, with both sides expected to continue discussions on its terms and strategic implications.

Earlier, US Senator Lindsey Graham emphasized the importance of a US-Ukraine mineral agreement at the Munich Security Conference, stating that finalizing the deal could be a decisive factor in ending the war. He argued that securing American business interests in Ukraine’s resource sector would strengthen US commitment, adding, “If we sign this minerals agreement, Putin is screwed.