Ukraine Confirms US War Aid Is Not a Debt in Subsoil Agreement Talks

During ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and the United States regarding a future economic partnership and subsoil cooperation, Ukrainian officials have confirmed that American aid given during the war is not being recognised as debt.

Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Representative Taras Kachka made the clarification during a national television broadcast. He stated that neither the current proposals from Ukraine nor the United States include any language suggesting the assistance provided during the full scale Russian invasion should be treated as debt. According to Kachka, both countries are focused on investment cooperation and joint financial benefit rather than repayment expectations.

Kachka dismissed speculation that previous drafts included debt clauses. He explained that the word “debt” appeared only once in an early version of the draft agreement that had been leaked to the media. Since then, all parties involved have avoided using that term, recognising that the cooperation is designed to be balanced and strategic.

The discussions are part of a broader memorandum of economic partnership, signed on 17 April by both sides. The agreement outlines shared intentions to develop long term economic ties, particularly through investments in subsoil resources, including rare earth elements and energy exploration. However, the final terms of the agreement must still be approved by both the US Congress and Ukraine’s parliament.

Kachka also mentioned that Ukraine has made further proposals related to military support, for which a response from Washington is still pending. He emphasised that the collaboration is centred around mutual benefit and national interest rather than any form of financial obligation.

Another round of technical negotiations is scheduled to begin in the United States on 24 April. These talks will focus on finalising specific language in the agreement, as well as setting up the investment fund structure. This new phase aims to establish a framework that allows both nations to profit fairly from natural resource investments in Ukraine.

Kachka underlined that both sides aim to build a resilient economic alliance that avoids burdens of repayment and instead focuses on mutually strategic investment opportunities. This initiative is particularly critical for Ukraine as it seeks to rebuild its economy amid the continued Russian aggression.