Ukraine probes US mineral deal leak: Zelensky orders inquiry
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has requested the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to investigate the information leak concerning a draft agreement with the United States.
This agreement allegedly grants American companies priority access to the exploitation of Ukraine's mineral resources. The Financial Times reported this on April 5th, citing sources in Kyiv, according to DW.
The British publication states that the authorities have launched an investigation targeting several officials from various state institutions. These officials are being checked, including with a lie detector. The information leak has caused discontent within the Ukrainian leadership, who were "taken by surprise" by the extent of the demands made by the American side. The Financial Times reports that Kyiv considers some provisions of Washington's proposal "politically unacceptable."
The investigation was launched after Yaroslav Zheleznyak, an opposition MP in the Verkhovna Rada, published details about the draft agreement on March 26th. He claimed to have received a copy of the document. He stated that the text contains "not even a hint" of security guarantees from the US. The Financial Times later obtained the document and published its contents the next day. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated during a briefing on March 28th that he, for his part, considered the leak of the American document "strange." "It's interesting to see who is leaking this information," he said.
On his Telegram channel on April 5th, MP Zheleznyak wrote that the information was passed to him "not by our people." "In general, our officials and coalition deputies are the last to know about all the news," he added. At the same time, he recommended the SBU "to call him directly, instead of wasting the time of so many people."
Kyiv wants a mutually beneficial agreement with the US on mineral resources
Ukraine is working on an agreement with the United States on mineral resources that reflects the national interests of both countries. The statement was made by Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha on April 1st.
"We have already started consultations with the American side on the text of the agreement. The first round of discussions has already taken place. We will work together to reach a mutually acceptable version for signing," the Ukrainian official said. According to him, on March 28th, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a new version of the agreement from the US through diplomatic channels.
A day earlier, an anonymous representative of the Ukrainian government told AFP that the Kyiv authorities intend to present a counter-draft of the agreement by the end of the week. Ukraine is concerned that the current provisions of the document could affect its accession process to the European Union and could impose the obligation to repay all military and economic assistance provided by the US since the beginning of the war.
For his part, a previous occupant of the US presidency accused Volodymyr Zelenskyy of intending to withdraw from the agreement on mineral resources between Washington and Kyiv. "He wants to get out of the rare earth metals deal, and if he does that, he's going to have problems, big problems," the individual told reporters on March 30th.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
