Ukraine and the US have not made any progress in negotiations over a mineral deal, as Trump demands control of Russian gas transit.

On April 11, US and Ukrainian officials held tense discussions regarding a mineral agreement between the countries. During the meeting, American representatives presented the Ukrainians with an updated document that included an unexpected item among its listed conditions: a requirement for the US Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to gain control over the Russian Gazprom gas pipeline running through Ukraine to Europe. The US Treasury Department described the negotiations as “technical in nature.”

Former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the US had been working with Ukraine on a mineral agreement during the Biden administration. However, Donald Trump has fundamentally altered the original concept. Blinken recalled that the proposal for joint subsoil development was part of the Victory Plan presented by the Ukrainian president to key allies last summer.

“We have been working for many months to attract investment to Ukraine, including in this sector. But what we saw in the agreement proposed by the Trump administration is, in my opinion, nothing more than a racket, lacking any protection for Ukraine from Russia,” Blinken emphasized.