On 8 May 2025, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ratified a strategic agreement with the United States of America on the joint use of mineral resources, marking an important step in strengthening the economic partnership between the two countries. The agreement provides for the establishment of a joint investment fund for reconstruction, which will allow the USA to gain priority access to Ukrainian minerals, in particular lithium, titanium, graphite and uranium. At the same time, Ukraine expects increased military support and economic stability.
Volodymyr Haustov, Scientific Secretary of the State Institution “Institute of Economics and Forecasting of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine”, Honoured Economist of Ukraine and Candidate of Technical Sciences, shared his vision on the prospects for the implementation of this agreement in a video from Experts Club, an expert analysis centre.
“Ukraine has significant potential in the sphere of strategic minerals extraction. However, it is worth understanding that realisation of this potential requires significant investment and time. Many deposits, in particular lithium deposits, are located in regions where infrastructure needs to be modernised and geological data is based on outdated Soviet research,” Haustov noted.
The expert also noted the technological problems associated with the extraction and processing of Ukrainian minerals.
“Most lithium deposits in Ukraine contain ores that are difficult to enrich using existing technologies. This requires the development of new processing methods, which in turn requires time and financial resources,” he explained.
The agreement also stipulates that revenues from joint projects will be reinvested in Ukraine for the first ten years, which should contribute to the country’s economic recovery. Nevertheless, Haustov cautions against excessive optimism about quick results.
“The realisation of such large-scale projects is not a matter of one year. It is necessary to take into account all the risks and challenges, in particular geopolitical and economic ones, which may affect the implementation of the agreement,” he stressed.
In general, the expert believes that the signing of the agreement with the US is an important step for Ukraine, which opens new opportunities for the development of the mining industry and strengthening of the economy. However, successful implementation of the agreements requires a comprehensive approach, strategic planning and close co-operation between all stakeholders.
“This is a chance for Ukraine to become an important player in the global strategic minerals market. But this requires not only desire, but also real actions, investments and technological solutions,” summarised Volodymyr Haustov.
Thus, the agreement between Ukraine and the USA opens a new page in the economic partnership between the two countries, but its successful implementation depends on many factors that require careful analysis and balanced decisions.