MOSCOW, September 17. /TASS/. The United States has made a down payment of $75 million to the US-Ukrainian investment fund established as part of the minerals deal between the countries, Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko said.

According to her, the fund’s starting capital will be $150 million.

"The Recovery Investment Fund is starting its operational work - there is a down payment! The Development Finance Corporation (DFC) of the United States has made an investment commitment to the US-Ukraine Recovery Investment Fund in the amount of $75 million, and Ukraine will match this contribution. Thus, are establishing the recovery investment fund at a base total of $150 million. This is another important step in the process of launching the full-fledged work of the fund, and today we can declare that operational work has started," she said on Telegram.

According to her, three projects are to be implemented by the end of 2026. "The first focus is on projects in the energy sector, infrastructure and critical minerals. We have a goal to implement three projects by the end of 2026," the Prime Minister continued. "This decision paves the way for financing the first large-scale projects."

The Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Alexey Sobolev explained that financing will be disbursed in tranches for specific initiatives: part this year, the rest next year.

On April 30, the United States and Ukraine signed a minerals agreement. Many media outlets and deputies of the Verkhovna Rada expressed dissatisfaction with the deal, noting that the document means the loss of part of Kiev's economic sovereignty, and also does not include security guarantees, which were discussed at length in Vladimir Zelensky's office. Besides, the parliamentarians were outraged that the Rada had not been provided with two additional documents mentioned in the main agreement. Nevertheless, on May 8, the Verkhovna Rada ratified it. As part of the deal, an investment fund was created, to which Kiev will contribute 50% of all income from new rents and new licenses for mining in new areas.