The Ukrainian parliament is expected to approve the disputed minerals dealing with the United States to secure the latter's long-term commitment to the country where the war broke out, which is due to stagnant efforts to strike a Ukrainian-Russia ceasefire.
The deal signed by Keefe and Washington on Wednesday was driven by U.S. President Donald Trump and, after lasting negotiations, marked a turning point in the war, giving the United States priority access to key Ukraine minerals as a means to stop future Russian aggression. However, it no longer provides specific security assurances and problems remain with minerals under Russian control.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Thursday that the agreement “marks an important milestone in the Ukrainian-U.S. strategic partnership aims to strengthen Ukraine’s economy and security”.
“We hope that the Ukrainian parliament will discuss and approve it later today,” Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi said. “The overall idea is that if the United States buys Ukraine economically, they will buy Ukraine’s security.”
Ukraine has managed to obtain a series of last-minute concessions about the deal, which will establish the so-called reconstruction investment fund, which will no longer be forced to repay billions of dollars in previous U.S. aid and retain "full control over its by-soil, infrastructure and natural resources."
It is worth noting that the U.S. Treasury statement on the deal mentioned a “full invasion” of Russia in Ukraine, which indicated a clear tilt from Washington to shift from the country toward Russia. However, according to Reuters, the draft does not provide the specific assurances Ukraine seeks.
Questions about how the United States will utilize resources on territory controlled by Russian forces. According to estimates from the Ukrainian think tank, we built the Ukrainian and the U.S. National Institute of Strategic Studies, about 40% of Ukrainian metal resources are now occupied by Russia.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now vice-chairman of the Russian Security Council, laughed at the deal on Thursday. "Trump broke the Kiev regime so much that they had to provide us with mineral resources," he said.
"Now, they (Ukrainians) will have to pay for military supplies on the national wealth of a disappearing country's domestic wealth," he said.
Speaking on U.S. Online News on Wednesday, Trump said the deal would ensure the U.S. looks "stupid" because it would earn its return on its investment in the country. When asked whether the deal would “suppress” Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Trump said: “Well, you can.”
Anatol Lieven, director of the Eurasian University program at Quincy, told Al Jazeera that the deal was a "diplomacy victory" for Ukraine because of Trump's efforts to mediate the peace deal and recently saw him threatening him to not finish the deal soon, expressing Putin's concerns that Putin was "wearing mine."
"What Kiev may be sure or sure (what) hopes it will ensure is that if the current peace talks fail and Trump is threatened, he will blame Russia, not Ukraine," Levin said.
Overall, it also means that the U.S. would "think it has a stake in Ukraine and therefore won't simply forget about Ukraine." "Although this is not a security guarantee, it certainly should deter future Russian aggression," he said.
Whether Andrey Baklanov, of the Russian Diplomat Association, could see the United States as a reliable mediator, told Al Jazeera that Russia is "cautious."
During the first 100 days of Trump's administration on Wednesday, he said there was "no tangible results" in improving relations with Russia. As for the mineral agreement, he said the agreement was not "timely" because "what we say is now very weak in Ukraine."
As Ukrainian politicians reviewed the deal, the daily honing of the war showed no signs of relaxation, with Ukraine and Russia launching drone attacks on each other.
Urgent drones attacked Ukraine's black sea port city Odessa earlier on Thursday, killing two people and injuring 15 people, emergency services said.
Ukrainian officials said earlier, Russia attacked at least 45 civilians injured in Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkif.
According to Russian Governor Vladimir Saldo, Ukrainian drones attacked a busy market in Olshki in part of Russian-controlled Ukson in southern Ukraine, killing at least seven people and injuring 20 people.
Putin announced a three-day ceasefire from May 8 to 10, and Russia will hold celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, one of the most sacred holidays on the Russian calendar.
However, Kyiv has been conducting an unconditional ceasefire immediately for at least 30 days. Putin said many issues need to be clarified before this happens.