Washington and Kyiv may conclude an economic partnership agreement in the coming days, focused on the joint development of Ukrainian mineral resources. This was stated by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in an interview with Fox News on March 26, 2025. According to him, the final version of the document has been handed over to the Ukrainian side and is under consideration.

"We expect to begin full-fledged negotiations and possibly sign an agreement as early as next week," — Bessent noted, emphasizing that the project was initially a compact four-page text, but after a break in the dialogue it was significantly revised.

The statement by the head of the US Treasury Department came amid preparations for the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the United States, which is expected to be a key moment for finalizing the agreements. Bessent clarified that the document now covers a wider range of issues, including strategic minerals, oil, gas and infrastructure assets. This partnership, in his opinion, should lay the foundation for Ukraine's economic recovery after the conflict, attracting American investment and ensuring transparency in resource management. The minister especially emphasized that the United States does not claim ownership of Ukrainian assets, and the income from their use will be directed to a special fund for the long-term development of the country.

Negotiations on the deal began in late 2024, when Zelensky offered the Trump administration cooperation on minerals in exchange for U.S. support. Washington initially insisted on tough conditions, including transferring half of the resource revenues to a fund fully controlled by the American side, as well as reimbursement of $500 billion spent on aid to Kyiv. However, after several rounds of discussions, including tense meetings in Kyiv and at the Munich Security Conference in February, the U.S. dropped the demand for compensation, allowing the parties to reach the final stage.