...what does a new US mineral agreement that converts former financial aid into a loan serve any good to Ukraine without anything from US to provide security guarantees? Is that like surrendering to the US instead of to Russia?
...so Ukraine will go it alone with UK/France without US assistance, and Trump will risk the new coalition breaking into a wider European war with Russia. And perhaps judging from Vance disdain for the Europeans, this is what the Americans feel may be deserving for Europe.
...so is Trump really helping bring peace? Trump's peace proposal by force isn't working and can only lead to unintended consequences. The moment US demonstrated its abandonment of Ukraine, the bargaining power shifted exclusively to Russia. Give a quarter of the country away to Russia, and all the Ukraine minerals plus a mortgage on the country's future to pay off military aid provided by the US as loan repayment - that is Trump's splendid peace proposal made in heaven for the superpower plunders!
...quite obviously there is no boundary nor limits to Trump 2.0's deployment of COERCION to achieve its 'national interests'. That is a truly scare thought and prospect- not even China or Russia could be as brutally upfront with demands. "We Will Not Allow It": Zelensky Rejects New Mineral Draft That Would Recognize US Support As Loans
by Zero Hedge
Saturday, Mar 29, 2025 - 09:50 AM
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a Friday press conference that he won't recognize past US military aid as loans, after Washington sent a new draft of the minerals deal to Kiev.
"Ukraine received a new agreement project from the U.S. regarding mineral resources, which is an entirely different document from the previous framework agreement," said Zelensky, adding "Ukraine will not recognize U.S. military aid as debt."
"We are grateful for the support, but this is not a credit, and we will not allow it," Zelensky continued.
The Ukrainian president also said that they are unwilling to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin "or with someone who would represent Russia," and instead said "I think that if there are people, I think there are businesses in Russia, and they have many different regions, including serious business areas. I think that we would communicate with them if they have a vision of how to end the war"
One Ukrainian lawmaker said on Telegram that the revised mineral agreement is a "horror" that offers no security guarantees from Washington.
Lwwmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a People's Deputy from Ukraine's Holos party, said he obtained a new draft of the mineral deal from the U.S., dated March 23 - which he says would grant the Untied States access to all existing and future mineral deposits across Ukraine, along with oil and gas throughout the country.
According to Zheleznyak, the new agreement contains "not even a hint" of security guarantees - though he did note that the revised draft wasn't final, "and I hope that the Ukrainian side will demand and achieve significant changes to it."
"This is no longer a framework memorandum of intent, like the one discussed before the scandalous Oval Office meeting," said Zheleznyak, adding "This is a full-fledged, very clear agreement. And it's not in our favor."
"It can and must be changed. Otherwise, I don't see how it could be ratified by parliament."
