Ukraine has an agreement with the United States on favorable mineral terms. This agreement is the third step taken by India and the US in furthering their bilateral relations. This agreement is scheduled to be signed on February 28, 2025. It will help consolidate Ukraine’s mineral resource wealth while setting the stage for future security guarantees with Washington.
The context of this agreement is critical. Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine, the international community has widely condemned Moscow’s actions. In light of Russia’s aggression, Ukraine has turned to the West for increased support and partnership, especially looking toward the United States.
At a time that climate-change induced wildfires were raging across nearly half of Alaska, Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for three hours at a summit. Such backdoor talks were of course not enough to produce a ceasefire deal. Trump had called the talks “productive,” but even so, they did not bring any immediate end to the three-year conflict.
This war became more acute with the declaration of a full-scale invasion by Moscow on Ukraine in February 2022. As of today, Ukraine has full control over only one fourth of Donetsk, including its strategic “fortress belt.” As the tensions increase, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is sounding the alarm. He argues that some of the proposals might have a corrosive effect on Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.
Zelenskyy recently turned down a similar offer prior to the summit. He was worried that it would give Moscow the opportunity to open up new, successful offensives against Ukraine. In light of these developments, Trump asserted that Zelenskyy could “end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight.” This statement highlights just how polarizing the question of how to negotiate with Russia remains.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken remarked, “If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends.” This underscores the tightrope Ukraine must walk as it conducts its defense against Russia’s unprovoked aggression while courting necessary international support.
As the situation evolves, Zelenskyy is set to meet with Trump and several European leaders in Washington on August 18. The upcoming discussions may significantly influence the course of both Ukraine’s security strategy and its relationship with the United States.