Ukraine’s vast undersoil mineral wealth is at the heart of an economic deal which the country is currently in the final stages of negotiations for with the US.
Confirmation of the agreement is considered key to US support for ending Russia’s three-year war in Ukraine.
However, the terms of the complex pact have been a source of friction between the US and Ukraine in recent weeks.
Background to deal
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky initially floated the idea of opening its critical minerals to investment by allies last autumn, as it presented a “victory plan” that aimed to put it in the strongest position for talks and force Russia to the table.