Economic agreement: Ukraine and the USA report significant progress and announce new steps.

Ukraine and the United States have made significant progress in negotiations for an economic partnership agreement and the establishment of an investment fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine. This was reported by the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko.

'A positive new step with the United States regarding the economic partnership agreement and the establishment of an investment fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Our technical teams have worked very thoroughly together on the agreement - there is substantial progress, lawyers have made the right accents in the draft agreement, I thank the negotiators in both teams,' Svyrydenko wrote on social media.

According to Svyrydenko, the parties agreed to formalize the achieved progress in a respective memorandum of intent and plan to finalize the formalization of the agreement soon. She also noted that the agreement will be subject to ratification by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and will contribute to economic growth in both countries.

Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak explained that the process of concluding the agreement will occur in two stages. 'Most likely, there will be two stages, which were planned before that epic meeting in the Oval Office. Stage #1: memorandum of intent (for all good things). This, as the Prime Minister said, is a political declaration. Stage #2: a detailed agreement that will be an international document and, in Ukraine, under the law, must be ratified by the Verkhovna Rada,' Zheleznyak noted.

Reduction of Financial Requirements

According to Bloomberg, during negotiations last week, the American side agreed to significantly reduce the financial requirements for Ukraine's repayment of funds provided after the onset of the full-scale invasion by Russia. The White House's powers reduced the amount of assistance threefold.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that Ukraine proposed an alternative during recent negotiations and noted that the agreement could be signed this week. 'We are very, very close. This (agreement on minerals) could even be signed this week,' Bessent said.

Analysis

Ukraine and the United States have made significant progress in negotiations for an economic partnership agreement and the establishment of an investment fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine. The signing of this agreement is of great importance for both countries, as it will contribute to economic growth and the recovery of Ukraine after the conflict with Russia. The reduction of financial requirements from the US is an additional positive step that will allow better use of the funds received and provide more financial resources for recovery.