US resists including security guarantees in rare earths deal with Ukraine

The United States is resisting the inclusion of security guarantees in the agreement with Ukraine on rare earth metals, but the issue remains under discussion, CNN reports.
A Ukrainian source told the publication that the most problematic points have been removed from the draft agreement on rare earths, but the "American side is very much resisting the inclusion of security guarantees." Kyiv hopes this issue can be discussed during the upcoming meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump.

"Everything is ready from our side,” the Ukrainian source said. “We have finalized the draft. We have done as much as we can to make the conditions reasonable. As a result, this is a framework agreement on how to create Ukraine reconstruction fund. There is a separate agreement foreseen on how this one will work," the CNN source added.

According to the source, Ukraine wants to organize a signing ceremony for the agreement, during which the presidents of both countries will review the issue of security guarantees.

"We are waiting for a response from the American side," the source stated.

Rare earths deal
It is worth recalling that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently presented the draft agreement on rare earth metals in Kyiv. According to him, this initiative envisions the creation of a fund where revenues from the sale of Ukrainian rare earth metals will be directed.

Under Washington’s plan, the US will receive economic and managerial rights in this fund.

The American government wants Ukraine to use this fund to "repay debts" for the military aid provided by the US. Specifically, it was proposed that the "debt" should amount to $500 billion, even though the actual value of American aid to Ukraine is estimated at around $100 billion.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has insisted that the US provided grants to Ukraine and that he will not recognize these as "debts."