Ukraine will not sign a minerals deal with the U.S. if it threatens its accession to the European Union, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 28.
Zelensky's remarks came a day after details of a new alleged draft of a mineral agreement between Kyiv and Washington emerged.
Ukrainian online newspaper European Pravda reported that the deal may contradict Ukraine's EU accession due to severe restrictions that affect Ukraine's economic sovereignty.
"The Constitution of Ukraine makes it clear that our course is towards the EU," Zelensky told reporters.
According to Zelensky, Ukraine officially received a new version of the minerals deal from the U.S. on March 28.
Zelensky will consider the deal when there are "no relevant legislative threats," adding that lawyers should compare the all versions of the deal and give their assessment.
Zelensky confirmed on March 25 that the U.S. had proposed a "major" minerals deal based on a previous framework agreement, but he did not specify a signing timeline. »