Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said the Trump administration’s minerals deal with Ukraine isn’t a fully fleshed out agreement.
“If you look at this Ukraine minerals deal, there’s no deal here,” Smith told NewsNation.
“There’s no specific ‘We get this, we get that.’ It’s really just sort of a framework for future conversations.”
President Trump and U.S. officials said the deal would provide security guarantees for Ukraine, ensuring support for its war against Russia in exchange for access to the country’s raw minerals.
Foreign leaders have been working to sign a deal for months and finally put ink to paper on Wednesday.
However, Smith suggested the measure was ceremonial in nature.
“It’s all speculative at this point,” he said.
“I will say this: It is a very positive sign that Trump and [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky are talking and that Trump and [Vice President] Vance are no longer just hurling insults at President Zelensky and backing [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s vision of the war in Ukraine.”
Ukraine will retain the right to determine the areas within its territory made available for prospecting, exploring for, and producing natural resources, according to the deal’s terms.
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