INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Kyiv and Washington have agreed on a deal to give the United States access to Ukrainian mineral resources following a spat between United
States President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.Here's what we know about the agreement that could be signed by
Trump and Zelensky in Washington this week, which the Ukrainian president on Wednesday called just a "framework agreement" to be tightened
up in future discussions.Ukrainian and international media have published what they report is the full text of the agreement, which lacks
any security guarantee for Ukraine.A joint fundTrump had demanded compensation for United States aid paid out under the administration of
former United States President Joe Biden in the three years since Russia invaded in February 2022.The United States leader had sought $500
according to the Kiel Institute, a German economic research body.Zelensky rejected this draft saying he would not sign off on an accord that
"10 generations" of Ukrainians would be liable to pay off."The main thing for me was that we are not a debtor," Zelensky told journalists
Wednesday.The deal's wording, as published by The Financial Times, The Kyiv Independent and other media, does however indicate that the
United States and Ukraine should develop mineral resources together with revenues diverted to a joint United States -Ukrainian fund.The fund
will earn from future monetization of all relevant Ukraine government-owned natural resource assets, the terms say.Ukraine would contribute
50% of all revenues to a fund jointly managed by the two countries' governments, to be reinvested in projects in Ukraine at least once a
year.The terms leave unclear exactly what share of the fund the United States would own."It's too early to talk about money," Zelensky
said Wednesday, with details to be thrashed out later.Vague on securityUkraine had been adamant that any deal must include long-term and
robust security guarantees that would help deter Russia from ever attacking again.Zelensky first floated the idea of exchanging access to
Ukrainian natural resources for security commitments in October last year as part of his five-point Victory Plan.Ukraine ultimately wants
be deployed in the event of a ceasefire
But the United States has rejected this option while European countries are divided on the issue.According to the text published by media,
the only clause on security puts the United States under no obligation
The deal also does not mention weapons.It simply says that the United States "supports Ukraine's efforts to obtain the security
assurances necessary to build a lasting peace."Zelensky told journalists he had wanted "at least a phrase about security guarantees,"
adding: "This sentence appeared."The text does say the United States wants a "sovereign and secure Ukraine" and will maintain a long-term
commitment to a "stable and economically prosperous Ukraine."What minerals?The text of the agreement says it concerns natural resources
including deposits of minerals, hydrocarbons and natural gas, but not ones that are currently sources of revenue for Ukraine.Ukraine holds
some lie in territory occupied by Russia.The country is a notable producer of manganese (the world's eighth largest producer, according to
World Mining Data), titanium (11th) and graphite (14th), which is essential for electric batteries.Ukraine has 20% of the world's
estimated resources of graphite, according to France's Bureau of Geological and Mining Research (BRGM).Ukraine has also said it "possesses
one of the largest lithium deposits in Europe." The government added that the soft metal is not yet extracted.Kyiv has said that "rare earth
metals are known to exist in six deposits" and that an investment of $300 million would be needed to develop a deposit at Novopoltavske,
which it claimed was one of the world's largest.The site is however controlled by Russian forces and the Kremlin has ruled out ceding
territories it has captured since 2022 or the Crimean peninsula annexed in 2014.Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he supports United
States investment in Russian-occupied regions.The Shevchenko deposit of lithium, tantalum, niobium and beryllium lies less than 10
kilometers from the front line near Pokrovsk, where the Russian army is gaining ground against outgunned and outnumbered Ukrainian forces.
