(NewsNation) — U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., scrutinized President Donald Trump’s much-touted mineral compact with Ukraine, telling NewsNation he sees “no deal here.”
After months of tense negotiations, the U.S. and Ukraine signed a deal that is expected to give Washington access to the country’s critical minerals and other natural resources, an agreement Kyiv hopes will secure long-term support for its defense against Russia.
The agreement — which the Ukrainian parliament must ratify — would establish a reconstruction fund for Ukraine that Ukrainian officials hope will be a vehicle to ensure future American military assistance. A previous agreement was nearly signed before being derailed in a tense Oval Office meeting involving Trump, U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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Smith said he doesn’t see the “deal” as anything set in stone.
“If you look at this Ukraine minimal deal, there’s no deal here,” he told NewsNation. “There’s no specific ‘We get this, we get that.’ It’s really just sort of a framework for future conversations.”
The pact covers minerals, including rare earth elements, as well as other valuable resources, including oil and natural gas, according to the text released by Ukraine’s government.
Smith, however, said he does view the agreement as a move in the right direction.
“It’s all speculative at this point,” he said. “I will say this: It is a very positive sign that Trump and Zelenskyy are talking and that Trump and Vance are no longer just hurling insults at President Zelenskyy and backing Putin’s vision of the war in Ukraine.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
