Ukraine’s parliament ratified a deal with the US over access to the country’s natural resources, lending its full support to attempts by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to improve ties with Donald Trump.
Ukraine and the US reached the accord a week ago after long negotiations that led Washington to drop its insistence on getting back billions of dollars in aid delivered to Kyiv since the start of Russia’s invasion more than three years ago.
A total of 338 lawmakers in Kyiv on Thursday voted in support of ratifying the agreement, which was designed to grant the US privileged access to new investment projects in Ukraine.
The deal, seen as one of the key elements to gain favor from Trump as he pushes to end Russia’s war, would let the US tap licensing proceeds generated from the future development of Ukraine’s aluminum, graphite, oil, natural gas and other deposits.
With Russia pressing along the more than 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) frontline, Kyiv has been keen to get back into Trump’s good graces after his administration sought a quick ceasefire that would favor Moscow. The deal stipulated the possibility of the US using future military aid shipments as contributions to a joint investment fund.
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