President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine.
28 March, Kyiv – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would refuse to sign an agreement with the United States on cooperation in the minerals sector if the document contains provisions that jeopardise the country’s European integration.
He said this during a briefing for journalists, reports Yevropeiska Pravda.
According to the President, the Ukrainian side officially received the draft agreement on 28 March, when it was handed over to the Cabinet of Ministers and the President’s Office by a diplomatic note. However, the document raised a number of questions, in particular because of provisions that had previously been rejected by the parties in the negotiations.
“Officially, again, and this is important, the Ukrainian side… we have officially received a note today with a variant or proposals from the United States,” Zelenskyy said.
He said that the Vice Prime Minister in charge, Yulia Svyrydenko, is in contact with US Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyem, but stressed that the new version of the document is significantly different from the previous ones.
“I asked her some questions. She said it’s very difficult to comment, it’s a completely different document… there are some things that the parties have already rejected,” the president said.
Zelenskyy stressed that an expert assessment of the agreement at the highest legal level is required before a decision is made, as it is a matter of strategic importance for the country.
“I will accept the agreement officially received by our side. But if it contains threats to our course towards the EU, it will not be signed,” the Head of State stressed.
The President also reminded that Ukraine’s movement towards the European Union is enshrined in the Constitution, and no international document can contradict this vector.
It is expected that the further fate of the deal will be determined after legal due diligence and additional negotiations with the US side.
