Medvedev claims the minerals deal with Ukraine shows Trump forced Kyiv to fund U.S. aid

Dmitry Medvedev, a senior Russian security official, stated on Thursday that the recent minerals agreement between Ukraine and the United States indicates that U.S. President Donald Trump has compelled Kyiv to compensate for future military assistance from the U.S.

The agreement, finalized in Washington on Wednesday, will provide the U.S. with preferential access to new mineral deals from Ukraine and support investments in the country’s reconstruction.

According to the Kyiv Post, citing diplomatic sources, the Trump administration also informed Congress on Wednesday of its plan to approve the export of defense-related products to Ukraine through direct commercial sales exceeding $50 million, marking the first such initiative since Trump’s return to the White House.

Medvedev, who previously served as Russia’s president and is now the deputy chairman of the Security Council, remarked on Telegram, ‘Trump has subjugated the Kyiv regime to the extent that they will have to exchange mineral resources for U.S. aid.’ He further stated, ‘Now the Ukrainians will need to trade their national wealth for military supplies from a country that is fading away.’

Once seen as a liberal pro-Western reformer during his presidency from 2008 to 2012, Medvedev has since become one of the most vocal anti-Western figures following the onset of Russia’s war in Ukraine in 2022.

The minerals agreement comes at a time when the U.S. is increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress in peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. While Moscow claims it is prepared for direct discussions with Ukraine and is open to a lasting peace agreement, it asserts that the complexities of the issues involved mean the process cannot be expedited. Kyiv, on the other hand, is calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire lasting at least 30 days.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his general agreement with this idea but noted that numerous issues must be clarified before it can be realized. He has also declared a three-day ceasefire from May 8-10 to coincide with Russia’s celebrations of the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

The Kremlin has indicated that Russia possesses significant mineral resources and has suggested the possibility of collaborative agreements with the U.S. in the Arctic and other regions. However, it has not yet addressed the minerals agreement involving Ukraine.

Sergei Markov, a former adviser to the Kremlin, expressed his belief that the arrangement between Washington and Kyiv would complicate Russia’s efforts to fulfill its objectives in Ukraine through diplomatic negotiations, as Trump established a framework to ‘rationalize’ increased military expenditure.

Markov predicted that ‘the U.S. is starting to view itself as a quasi-co-owner of Ukraine, which will lead it to adopt a stance it deems supportive of Ukraine.’