British magazine publishes cartoon on Ukraine-US minerals deal
photo: The Spectator
Washington-Kyiv, 9 March 2025 – In the TV series Servant of the People, Vasyl Holoborodko, played by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has become a symbol of a steadfast leader who defies corruption, external pressure and unfair deals. In one episode, he decisively refuses to sign an agreement with partners that threatens Ukraine’s sovereignty, stating: “I will not sell my country for any money.” Today, when the real-life President Zelenskyy is facing the dilemma of signing an agreement with the United States on access to Ukrainian subsoil, this question takes on a special resonance: will he follow the fate of his on-screen alter ego, or will circumstances force him to give in?
The context of the deal: pressure and hope
The latest data from the US Department of State, dated 3 March 2025, indicates that the Donald Trump administration is seeking to conclude a deal that would give US companies access to Ukrainian rare earth metals – lithium, graphite, uranium – in exchange for the creation of a joint investment fund. The framework agreement, approved by the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers on 26 February, makes no mention of the $500 billion “debt” that US officials had previously attributed to Kyiv. However, the key problem remains: the document does not contain the clear security guarantees for Ukraine that Zelenskyy has been insisting on.
“We are not debtors,” Zelenskyy said at a press conference on 26 February, emphasising that the $100 billion in US aid was a grant, not a loan. He emphasised that he was ready to sign only a “win-win” deal that would benefit both sides. But will reality allow such a luxury when the war is draining the country and Western support is becoming increasingly shaky?
Cinema versus reality
In Servant of the People, Holoborodko had a clear moral position: he refused to compromise on anything that could undermine Ukraine’s independence. In the TV series, this looked heroic – the crowd applauded, and international partners backed down, impressed by his integrity. But in real life, Zelenskyy faces a much more difficult choice. Russian troops are advancing in the east, regaining territory in the Kursk region, and American support, which was unconditional a year ago, now depends on political games in Washington.
Trump, who returned to the White House in January 2025, has repeatedly stated his desire to “end the war in 24 hours”. His administration sees the subsoil deal as a way to recoup the money it has invested in Ukraine and at the same time force Kyiv to the negotiating table with Moscow. “We gave you billions, now it’s your turn,” Trump said in Miami on 15 February. For Zelenskyy, this is not just an economic issue – it is a challenge to his legitimacy as a leader who promised to defend every piece of Ukrainian land.
People: what do Ukrainians think?
The lack of intelligence from the US has already cost Ukraine lost opportunities, and the reserves gained by the end of 2024 are melting away. At the same time, a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology on 28 February shows that 68% of Ukrainians are against any concessions to Russia or the West that threaten sovereignty.
This figure is not just a statistic, but an echo of the very ideals that Zelensky embodied in his Servant of the People. The people expect him not only to survive, but to win. But can he afford to repeat Holoborodko’s scenario, when refusing a deal could mean losing the last thread of support from the West?
Diplomatic chessboard
Europe, while promising to fill the gap (Germany is preparing new deliveries of IRIS-T), does not have the resources to replace American intelligence or precision weapons. Zelenskyy understands that rejecting the deal could isolate Ukraine at a time when it can least afford it. But signing a document without security guarantees is a risk of becoming a president who has “sold out the country”, as his film character feared.
“I will not sign something that will be paid by ten generations of Ukrainians,” he said on 23 February, rejecting the idea of a debt. However, behind the scenes, lawyers in the President’s Office are already working on a compromise: an agreement with clear US security commitments that would require ratification by the Verkhovna Rada. This could be his “golden mean” – a way to avoid capitulation but not to sever ties with Washington.
Will Zelensky become Holoborodko?
In the series, Holoborodko won because of his steadfastness and faith in the people. In reality, Zelenskyy faces a choice where there are no easy wins. If he rejects the deal, like his on-screen character, it could make him a hero in the eyes of Ukrainians – but at the cost of disaster for the country. If he signs it, he risks going down in history as a leader who compromised his principles for the sake of survival.
“We are fighting for freedom, not for fossil fuels,” he said in an interview with NBC on 16 February. These words sound like a script from Servant of the People, but war is not a TV show where the hero always wins. The date of 28 February, when Zelenskyy was supposed to visit Washington, passed without a signature, and negotiations continue. Will he become the president from the film who proudly said “no”, or will reality force him to play a different role? The answer depends on whether he is able to bargain with Trump for what Holoborodko would have won with a single look into the camera – justice for Ukraine.
Author: Marianna Nyzhnia
