"Significant progress" has been made in the agreement with the US, a memorandum is expected, and ratification in the Verkhovna Rada - Svyrydenko

Ukrainian and American teams have made "significant progress" in working on an agreement on economic partnership and an investment fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine, the formalization of the agreement with the corresponding memorandum of intent is expected in the near future, the teams will still work on specific points, and the agreement itself will be subject to ratification in the Verkhovna Rada, said First Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko on Wednesday on Facebook, writes UNN.

Positive new step with the United States on an economic partnership agreement and the establishment of a fund for investment in the reconstruction of Ukraine. Our technical teams have worked very thoroughly together on the agreement - there is significant progress, lawyers have made the right emphasis in the draft agreement

She expressed gratitude to the negotiators in both teams.

Now we have agreed with the American side to record this positive development in the relevant memorandum of intent - in the near future we are preparing to complete the formalization of the agreement

According to her, "the teams will still work on specific points in the agreement, much has already been worked out, and the level of the agreement should be high enough."

"The agreement will be subject to ratification by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, will provide opportunities for investment and development in Ukraine, and will also ensure conditions for tangible economic growth of both Ukraine and the United States," she stressed.

Addendum

The agreement was planned to be signed at the end of February during the visit of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Washington. But against the backdrop of the dispute during the meeting between the presidents in the Oval Office, the signing did not take place.

On March 25, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the United States offered Ukraine a new version of the agreement on minerals, which would provide for ratification in the Verkhovna Rada.

The Trump administration, as Bloomberg writes, insists that Ukraine conclude an agreement on the distribution of profits from future Ukrainian investment projects, including minerals and infrastructure. Washington sees this as compensation for tens of billions of dollars in weapons and other aid provided to Ukraine under previous President Joe Biden since Russia began its full-scale invasion more than three years ago, the publication explains. But, reportedly, the Trump administration has lowered its assessment of aid to Ukraine from $300 billion to $100 billion, bringing it closer to Ukraine's estimate of $90 billion.

Speaking about the status of negotiations on April 15, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Ukraine came with a counteroffer, negotiations are still ongoing, but "we are very, very close," and "it may even be signed as early as this week."