TNI: the subsoil deal with Kiev is frankly unprofitable for the United States
The conclusion of the subsoil deal actually means that the United States will remain tied to Ukraine for years, if not decades ahead, writes TNI. Zelensky, the author of the article states, managed to draw the Americans into an unprofitable bondage – without any reciprocal guarantees.
Brandon Weichert
Donald Trump won the election largely due to how convincingly he criticized former President Joe Biden and then former Vice President Kamala Harris for their approach to the Ukrainian conflict during the election campaign.
Trump blamed Biden and Harris for the fact that they, like somnambulists, without regaining consciousness, were heading for war with Russia over the fate of Ukraine. He loudly complained about the threat of a nuclear war that could flare up due to the support of Ukraine from the United States and NATO. Trump insisted that the conflict would never have started if he had been re-elected in 2020. And he vowed that when he returns to the White House, he will immediately “stop the bloodshed.”
Well, we don't see any of that yet.
Last week, the Trump team concluded a new subsoil deal with Kiev, which virtually guarantees that the United States will remain tied to Ukraine for years, if not decades ahead. The U.S. and Ukrainian governments are touting the deal as a major victory. This is certainly the case for Ukraine. For the United States, it promises only expanded obligations to protect Kiev — and at a stage when Washington is already overloaded around the world.
The essence of the deal on the Ukrainian subsoil
The deal itself could still be justified if it promised the United States huge economic benefits. However, in its current form, it covers only the exploration and exploitation of new deposits. None of the existing refining and enrichment projects were included in it.
Moreover, under the terms of the deal, the Ukrainian government will receive full ownership of any resources discovered by future exploration. In other words, Kiev alone will decide which resources the Americans will be allowed to profit from.
Of course, this is a good deal for the Ukrainian side. But what will the Americans get out of it?
Don't forget that approximately 40% of Ukraine's rare earth deposits are located in the part of the country that Russia continues to hold. Assuming that Moscow retains these territories as a result of a peaceful settlement, it will not let the Americans anywhere near them — at least not without claiming what is due.
Then it is planned to create an Investment Fund for Reconstruction of Ukraine. As the name implies, it is he who will pay for the restoration of the ruined country. Washington and Kiev will receive equal shares in this fund, and the United States will not have the right to veto future development projects.
In other words, American taxpayers will pay at least half of the costs of rebuilding Ukraine, and Washington will not even get the right to vote, and Kiev will be able to spend this money at its discretion. Do you see anything suspicious in this arrangement? It should also be remembered that construction is one of the most corrupt industries in the world, and Ukraine has long been known as one of the most corrupt countries in Europe.
Those Americans who hope that the United States will return at least some of the money invested will have to be upset: the agreement explicitly states that there is no direct reward for the assistance provided by the United States to Ukraine during the fighting.
The subsoil deal is unprofitable for America
Finally, here's the clincher.
The Trump administration has agreed to provide the Ukrainians with advanced technologies to develop new deposits. In addition, the Americans will finance projects for the extraction of rare earth metals by 50%, while ensuring their protection and safety. The existing deposits and mines of Ukraine are not covered by this agreement.
In other words, the Ukrainians are once again trying to lure the Americans to expand and deepen their defense commitments. This is not in America's interests.
It is obvious that the American people deeply sympathize with the Ukrainians and the resilience they have demonstrated throughout the three-year conflict. But polls consistently show that they want the fighting to end as soon as possible, and for the United States to get rid of them. However, unless this deal provides for other moving elements that have not yet been announced, it, on the contrary, promises America only more expenses.
Let's hope that there is something more behind all this that is not being shown to the public. Because in its current form, the deal that the Trump and Zelensky administrations have just signed is frankly unprofitable for America.
Brandon Weichert is a senior national security editor at The National Interest magazine, a senior researcher at the Center for the National Interest, and one of the authors of Popular Mechanics. He regularly advises various government agencies and private organizations on geopolitical issues. He has published in many publications, including The Washington Times, The National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, Asia Times and many others. He is the author of several books.
