Podoliak on the Rare Earths Agreement: Presidents must be present during signing

The agreement on rare earth minerals is being discussed. The agreement is likely to be signed in Washington, D.C., and the presence of the presidents is mandatory. This opinion was expressed to UNN by Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to the head of the Presidential Office.

The Ukrainian side plans to have a meeting of the presidents. So that the agreement is first parishioned and then signed. It can be in Ukraine if the US president comes, but it is more likely to be in Washington

When asked who would sign the agreement, Podolyak replied: "Everything will depend on the protocol that will be written there. In my opinion, the presence of the presidents is mandatory. Will they personally sign, or will, for example, the prime minister from the Ukrainian side and, accordingly, a comparable person from the American side sign?

Podolyak noted that the agreement itself is currently being discussed.

Podolyak commented on media reports that the agreement has become tougher for Ukraine.

"No, I don't understand what tougher means. There are conditions that are acceptable to the American side, and there are conditions that Ukraine needs. Ukraine is interested in investments, in understanding how much these investments will be, at what time to enter so that Ukraine understands how much profit it can expect from a joint project. The second component is security guarantees," Podolyak said.

In addition, he said that what the American side is proposing is a bit like the Marshall Plan.

"What the American side is proposing is a bit like the Marshall Plan for Europe after World War II. It's just a matter of talking through the details, and Ukraine clearly understands its needs. All that is happening in the information space today is an attempt to strengthen its negotiating position. The real negotiations are at the level of the competent ministries, in this case the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defense and the Presidential Administration on both sides," Podolyak said.

Addendum

Podolyak previously stated that work on a rare earth minerals agreement with the United States is ongoing. Ukraine insists on a fair distribution of profits and security guarantees under the agreement.

A UNN source reportedthat Ukraine had offered the American side to come to Washington to talk about signing the agreement and that the US was considering it.