The signing of the rare earth metals agreement between Ukraine and the United States is expected in the near future, after which Ukraine will take the first step toward implementing the project. As reported by RBC-Ukraine on April 30, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced this during the national Ukrainain TV news marathon broadcast.
According to him, First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko has already left for Washington, where the final details of the agreement to establish an investment fund are being finalized.
Shmyhal noted that the agreement is equal in nature and aims at joint investments into the development and recovery of Ukraine. He emphasized that the agreement will be signed shortly, and Ukraine will make its first move toward implementation.
“As soon as all the details are finalized—soon, I hope within the next 24 hours—the agreement will be signed”, - Shmyhal said.
He also added that after the agreement with the U.S. is signed, two more technical agreements are planned, relating to the creation of the fund and its financing.
The government has already agreed on the key aspects of the agreement, and all necessary approvals from the main ministries have been received. According to the Prime Minister, the government is technically ready to sign the agreement as soon as the final confirmation comes from the American colleagues.
The report recalls that in February 2025, Kyiv and Washington had planned to sign a framework cooperation agreement on rare earth resources, but the process was delayed due to a conflict between President Volodymyr Zelensky and White House head Donald Trump during the Ukrainian leader’s visit to Washington at the end of March. After the incident, the U.S. sent Ukraine an updated draft agreement on mineral extraction.
Subsequently, the two sides held several technical online meetings to discuss the terms of cooperation. In early April, Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha stated that Kyiv had already formulated its position on the agreement and was preparing a delegation for negotiations in Washington.
As Zelensky noted two days ago, on April 28, the new agreement with the United States became “stronger” and “more equal”.
According to RBC-Ukraine sources, Ukraine and the U.S. may sign the rare earth metals agreement as early as today, April 30. First Deputy Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko is currently in Washington.