Requests for “colonial type”. The Trump Administration asks Ukraine control over the pipeline carrying Russian gases to Europe

The United States has called for control over a crucial pipeline in Ukraine, which was used for the delivery of Russian gas to Europe, The Guardian reports.

US and Ukrainian officials met on Friday to discuss the proposal of the White House regarding the agreement for the exploration of Ukrainian natural resources. Donald Trump wants them for the US as a form of compensation for the weapons and other aids offered in support of Kiev by the former American administration, the one led by Democrat Joe Biden.

The discussions have become more and more fierce, notes Reuters. The latest American project is more “maximalist” than the original version of February, which proposed to be given to Washington rare metals, oil and gas totaling $ 500 billion.

Invoking a source close to the discussions, the press agency reported that the latest version includes, among other things, a request to cross the natural gas pipeline under the control of the US Government International Development Corporation.

The pipeline starts from Sudzha, a city in western Russia, and extends about 1,200 kilometers, up to Ujhorod, in Ukraine, on the border with Slovakia and, implicitly, the EU. Built in the Soviet era, it is an essential piece of national infrastructure and at the same time a major energy route.

On January 1, Ukraine stopped the transit of the gases as the five years have expired by his contract with Gazprom, a company of the Russian state.

Americans, accused of wanting to get “everything they can”

Volodimir Landa, senior economist at the Center for Economic Strategy, a think tank in Kiev, accused the Americans of wanting to get “everything they can”. He claims that there is little chance that Ukraine will accept their intimidating “colonial type” requests.

In the fall, Volodimir Zelenski proposed to give the United States access to the underdeveloped mineral sector. The Kiev leader would have wanted an agreement on the basis of which to receive American weapons, in exchange for future profits from common investments.

Instead, Donald Trump has refused to assume security commitments or military support, but wants mineral resources anyway. Last week I complained that Zelenski was trying to “give up an agreement” and said that the Ukrainian president would have “big problems” if he does not sign.

In Thursday's press statements, Zelenski said that he is ready to perfect an agreement for the modernization of the country, but that Ukraine will only agree if there is “parity” between the two parties, with income divided “50-50”.

“I just defend what belongs to Ukraine. It should be beneficial to both the United States and Ukraine. It's the right thing to do,” Zelenski said.

The US Treasury has confirmed that “technical” discussions are ongoing.