The United States and Ukraine have signed a contract on economic partnership and the creation of the American-Ukrainian Investment Fund for reconstruction. Here are the most important conclusions that flow from it, according to the BBC.
The language used by the US when announcing the contract is noticeably sharper towards Russia than usual in the case of Trump administration – writes the BBC.
In a statement published on the White House website we read about the “full -glass invasion of Russia” and that “no state, company or person who financed or supplied a Russian war machine will be able to benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine, including participation in projects supported by the fund.”
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Michał Czernek / PAP / PHOTOS
As BBC notes, it will lift the spirits of Kiev, who demands more pressure on Russia in conversations between Moscow and Washington about the possible suspension of weapons.
Ukraine will not pay off the “debt”
Donald Trump previously demanded a refund from Ukraine $ 350 billion. Help, which, he claims, the United States passed during the war. The US President emphasized that he wants to recover money spent on the support of Ukraine. Zelanski rejected this condition.
But Washington apparently went to concession. The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said that the contract does not order his country to pay any alleged “debt”.
Trump also presented this agreement as the victory of his website, saying that his country would receive “much more in theory” than billions of his predecessor Joe Biden.
Oil and gas
Despite the fact that most talks around the contract concern the mineral richness of Ukraine, the agreement also contains provisions regarding oil, natural gas and other hydrocarbons. However, resources remain the property of Ukraine, even if the US gain access to them.
The inclusion of crude oil and gas was considered to be softened by the position of Ukraine, because they were not in the previous projects of the contract.
No obstacles to Kiev's ambition in the EU
Ukraine has long been aspiring to membership in the European Union, and the accession talks formally began in June last year.
There have been some fears in Kiev that a resource agreement may make it difficult for Ukraine to join the EU if it has granted preferential treatment to American investors, because Kiev and Brussels already have a strategic partnership in the field of raw materials.
However, the text of the contract says that the US recognizes Ukraine's intention to join the EU and the need that this agreement is not contradictory.
He also says that if Ukraine has to consider the terms of the contract again due to “additional obligations” as part of joining the EU, the US agree to negotiate in good faith.
American military commitment returns …
The United States presented the contract as necessary to sign if Ukraine is still to receive military assistance.
Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Julia Swyrydenko, who flew to Washington to sign a contract, said that it is expected that the United States would provide new help in the future, such as air defense systems.
It would also mean a change in Donald Trump's strategy, who from the time of returning to the White House tried to limit military support for Ukraine.
… but the United States can withdraw at any time
It seems that there are no specific guarantees of US security, which Ukraine and Europe have been pressing for a long time.
Trump is reluctant to give the same military commitment as Biden. There would still be fragility about the involvement of the most important ally of Ukraine.
Profits will be reinvested in Ukraine?
For the first decade of the investment fund for the reconstruction of the profits will be “fully reinvested in the economy of Ukraine” either in new projects or in reconstruction.
After this initial 10-year period, profits can be separated between partners.
The Secretary of the US Treasury Scott Bessent said on Wednesday evening in an interview with Fox News that the contract is a signal for the American nation, that “we have a chance to take part, receive some funds and weapons, compensation for it and become a partner in the success of the Ukrainian nation.”
Source: BBC
