US Plans Swift Economic Partnership with Ukraine

The United States is pushing to quickly finalize an economic partnership with Ukraine, focused in part on mineral resources, with ongoing technical negotiations between the two countries. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has met with top Ukrainian officials to reaffirm U.S. support for Ukrainian sovereignty and emphasize the urgency of completing the deal, which is seen as a way to deepen economic ties and counter Russian influence. President Donald Trump has indicated an expectation to sign the minerals agreement with Kyiv soon, following the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding, though a previous attempt at such a deal failed after a disagreement with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. The push for this partnership comes amid ongoing tensions over stalled peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, with the U.S. signaling frustration at the lack of progress and warning it may step back from mediation if talks do not advance. The proposed agreement is viewed by analysts as both a strategic and economic move to stabilize Ukraine and strengthen U.S. influence in the region.