Ukraine Under Pressure: New U.S. Proposal Mirrors Rejected Terms

As Ukraine negotiates its natural resource rights, the U.S. administration insists on terms previously deemed unacceptable. New proposals call for Ukraine to divert substantial income to a U.S.-managed fund, leaving security assurances out of the equation.

As Ukraine evaluates a contentious new proposal concerning its extensive natural resources, the Trump administration has reiterated terms strikingly similar to those that Kyiv rejected just a week prior. According to a document obtained by The New York Times, the U.S. is demanding that Ukraine relinquish 50% of its incomes from natural resource extraction, including minerals, gas, oil, and revenues from its infrastructure such as ports.

The document, dated February 21, 2025, stipulates that the funds will be channeled into a fund where the United States maintains a total financial interest. The proposal also insists that Ukraine must continue contributing to this fund until it amasses $500 billion—an amount purportedly driven by demands from President Trump in exchange for American aid, which exceeds twice Ukraine’s GDP prior to the ongoing conflict.

Crucially absent from both the revised and original proposals is a security guarantee for Ukraine, a significant demand presented by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. After reviewing the initial terms, Zelensky concluded they were unacceptable and chose not to sign the agreement.

As of now, Ukrainian officials are pondering the latest terms, though negotiations could either culminate in agreement by the end of the day or be postponed, especially since President Zelensky has hesitated in the past regarding the acceptance of such conditions. The implications of this deal could have far-reaching consequences on Ukraine's sovereignty and economic stability amid the ongoing war.