MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. Washington's new draft mineral deal with Kiev has been described as a typical colonial agreement for Ukraine by the country's former prime minister, Nikolay Azarov, who served from 2010 to 2014.
"The new draft deal on minerals between the United States and Ukraine is a typical colonial agreement that places all power in America’s hands. Such an arrangement has no place in the relationship between sovereign countries that respect their own constitutions and laws. Washington is offering Kiev an agreement unworthy of a true state," he stated on his Telegram channel.
Azarov also pointed out that Washington is demanding compensation for the funds allocated to Kiev during Joe Biden's presidency (2021-2025). "What were they thinking when they gave money to a state that is literally broke?" he questioned, emphasizing that the responsibility for this situation lies with both the previous American administration and the current regime in Kiev.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian parliament member Alexey Movchan claimed that the Kiev authorities were effectively selling Ukraine into slavery under the new version of the agreement with the Americans. On March 31, Bloomberg compared the agreement to the exploitative treaties signed by European colonizers with the peoples of African nations.
Earlier, Vladimir Zelensky announced that the US had presented Ukraine with a new draft agreement on minerals, which obligates Kiev to reimburse over $120 billion in assistance. The US will have control over the investment fund created for the reconstruction of Ukraine, which will receive indemnities from Kiev's revenues derived from license payments and rent for mineral extraction. Ukrainian media previously reported that Kiev and Washington engaged in extensive discussions about the new draft agreement on March 28.
US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent indicated that the United States and the Kiev authorities could sign an economic cooperation agreement, including one related to minerals, as early as this week. Meanwhile, Kiev has stated that it is still formulating its position on the agreement. Subsequently, US President Donald Trump warned that if Zelensky attempted to withdraw from the deal, he would face significant consequences.