Latest News
US, Ukraine agree to terms of critical minerals deal
One of the sources familiar with the deal said future weapons shipments are still being discussed between Washington and Kyiv.
The U.S. and Ukraine have agreed on the terms of a draft minerals deal central to Kyiv’s push to win Washington’s support as President Donald Trump seeks to rapidly end the war with Russia, two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday.
A source familiar with the contents of the draft agreement said that it does not specify any U.S. security guarantees or continued flow of weapons but says that the United States wants Ukraine to be “free, sovereign and secure.”
One of the sources familiar with the deal said future weapons shipments are still being discussed between Washington and Kyiv.
Trump told reporters that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wants to come to Washington on Friday to sign a “very big deal.” This came after the two leaders exchanged hostile words last week.
The U.S. president, who has cast the deal as a repayment for billions of dollars in aid to Kyiv, also said some form of peacekeeping troops are needed in Ukraine if an agreement to end the conflict is struck. Moscow, which launched an invasion of Ukraine three years ago, has refused to accept any deployment of NATO forces.
Some European countries have said they would be willing to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine. Trump said on Monday that Moscow would accept such peacekeepers, but the Kremlin denied that on Tuesday.
Trump’s rush to impose an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine and his lurch toward Moscow has stoked fears of far-reaching U.S. concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin that could undermine security in Ukraine and Europe and alter the geopolitical landscape.
Trump last week falsely called Zelenskiy an unpopular “dictator” who needed to cut a quick peace deal or lose his country. The Ukrainian leader said the U.S. president was living in a “disinformation bubble.”
Officials on both sides have agreed to the draft and advised it should be signed, the sources said.
The deal could open up Ukraine’s vast mineral wealth to the U.S.
“What we’re doing is now we’re saying, look, we want to be secured,” Trump said. “The American taxpayer now is going to get their money back, plus.”
Zelenskiy refused to sign an earlier draft of a minerals agreement as Washington sought rights to $500 billion in Ukraine’s natural wealth. Kyiv protested it had received far less than that in U.S. aid and the deal lacked the security guarantees Ukraine needs.
Under the terms of a draft minerals agreement, according to sources familiar with its contents, the United States and Ukraine would establish a Reconstruction Investment Fund to collect and reinvest revenues from Ukrainian sources including minerals, hydrocarbons and other extractable materials.
Ukraine would contribute to the fund 50% of the revenue minus operating expenses and continue until the contributions reach the sum of $500 billion. The United States would provide a long-term financial commitment to the development of a “stable and economically prosperous Ukraine.”
Asked what Ukraine would get in return for the minerals deal, Trump cited what he said was $350 billion already provided by the U.S. “and lots of … military equipment and the right to fight on.”
Scott Anderson, a fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, said that while the minerals deal would look like “a kind of piracy” to much of the world it is necessary to get buy-in from Trump and Republican lawmakers.
“They say this gives him (Trump) real skin in the game. I think there is real logic to that,” Anderson said.
“I hear that he’s coming on Friday,” Trump told reporters. “Certainly it’s okay with me if he’d like to. And he would like to sign it together with me.”
European officials have been left flat-footed by Trump’s decisions to hold talks on ending the war in Ukraine with Russia, spurning both Kyiv and Europe, and by his administration’s warning that the U.S. was no longer primarily focused on Europe’s security.
A White House meeting could give Zelenskiy a chance to make his case for continued U.S. support directly to Trump, who last week falsely accused Kyiv of starting the war.
Ukraine has deposits of 22 of the 34 minerals identified by the European Union as critical, according to Ukrainian data. They include industrial and construction materials, ferroalloy, precious and non-ferrous metals, and some rare earth elements.
Ukraine’s reserves of graphite, a key component in electric vehicle batteries and nuclear reactors, represent 20% of global resources.
Latest News
Economic Commission approves national policy for development of agriculture
At a regular meeting of the Economic Commission chaired by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, the National Policy for the Development of the Agriculture and Livestock Sector was approved.
According to a statement from the deputy PM’s office, the key objectives of the policy include the mechanization of the agriculture and livestock sector; development of agricultural, irrigation, and livestock research and extension systems; management of irrigation systems; support for investment in these sectors; and ensuring public access to high-quality agricultural and animal products.
During the same meeting, the development plan for the fish farming sector was also approved.
Under this plan, through private sector investment, 7,700 small, medium, and large fish production and farming facilities will be established on 6,500 hectares of land in various parts of the country.
The statement added that the implementation of this plan will create direct employment opportunities for 50,000 people and indirect employment for 250,000 others.
Latest News
Afghan authorities prevent three forced marriages in Balkh, Kunar, and Parwan
Officials from Afghanistan’s Ministry for Virtue and Vice successfully intervened to stop three cases of forced marriage in the provinces of Balkh, Kunar, and Parwan, protecting women’s rights under Islamic law.
The cases involved families attempting to marry off their daughters against their will. After registering and reviewing the complaints, ministry officials acted swiftly to halt the marriages.
The families were summoned and advised on the importance of respecting women’s rights and the freedom to choose a spouse. Following the intervention, they pledged that all future marriages of their daughters would occur only with the women’s full consent.
The ministry said the actions reflect its ongoing commitment to safeguarding women’s rights and enforcing Islamic principles across Afghanistan.
Latest News
Doha process private sector meeting highlights growth and coordination in Afghanistan
The session was divided into two segments, focusing on growth and inclusion in the first part, and coordination and transparency in the second.
The 3rd session of the Doha Process Private Sector Working Group was held both in-person and online at Kabul’s Grand Hotel, hosted by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
The meeting brought together representatives from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Industry and Commerce, Economy, Labor and Social Affairs, and the Central Bank, alongside UNAMA, UN agencies, international and regional organizations, as well as ambassadors, diplomats, and private sector experts.
The session was divided into two segments, focusing on growth and inclusion in the first part, and coordination and transparency in the second.
Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate representatives shared achievements and progress since assuming governance, while participants acknowledged these efforts and highlighted their ongoing support for the private sector. All parties offered recommendations to address challenges and emphasized enhanced cooperation moving forward.
-
Latest News3 days agoAfghanistan to grant one- to ten-year residency to foreign investors
-
Sport4 days agoIndonesia shock Japan to reach historic AFC Futsal Asian Cup final
-
Sport3 days agoIran clinch AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 in penalty shootout thriller
-
Latest News3 days agoAfghanistan says Pakistan is shifting blame for its own security failures
-
International Sports2 days agoWinter Olympics gain momentum as medal table takes shape
-
Latest News5 days agoAfghanistan facing deepening hunger crisis after US Aid Cuts: NYT reports
-
World5 days agoUS, Ukraine, Russia delegations agree to exchange 314 prisoners, says Witkoff
-
Latest News3 days agoTraffic police receive new cars
