EU offers Ukraine 'mutually beneficial' minerals deal, despite Trump saying US version close to signing

The EU has offered Ukraine its own deal on the country's natural resources, describing it as "mutually beneficial" and a "win-win partnership," AFP reported on Feb. 24.

The European Commissioner for industrial strategy, Stephane Sejourne, said he'd offered Kyiv an alternative to that proposed by the U.S. while on a visit to Ukraine to mark the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Negotiations on a deal to entrench U.S. interests in Ukraine's reserves are ongoing, with the latest draft presented by the White House reportedly demanding $500 billion of Ukraine's natural resources, including critical minerals, to recuperate American aid to Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has so far refused to sign the deal because it does not contain any security guarantees for Ukraine and because the $500 billion sum vastly outnumbers the $100 billion provided under former President Joe Biden as a grant.

"Twenty-one of the 30 critical materials Europe needs can be provided by Ukraine in a win-win partnership," Sejourne said.

"The added value Europe offers is that we will never demand a deal that's not mutually beneficial."

U.S. President Donald Trump previously reiterated his push for a deal between the U.S. and Ukraine, arguing that it would help Kyiv's economy while ensuring that Washington "recoups the tens of billions of dollars and military equipment sent to Ukraine."

During a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House, Trump said he may soon meet President Volodymyr Zelensky to sign the agreement.

He added that he expects Zelensky to visit Washington "this week or next week."