Trump's Ukraine peace plan: conditions tougher than German reparations after World War II

Frankfurter Rundschau Trump's Ukraine peace plan: conditions tougher than German reparations after World War II Yekaterina Jalunina • 7 hours • 2 minutes reading time Natural resources in exchange for military aid Trump had announced his intention to end the Ukraine war immediately after returning to the White House, but has not announced any specific plans. Donald Trump's administration has proposed a controversial agreement with Ukraine on natural resources in exchange for military aid. Washington D.C. - The US is offering Ukraine an agreement - natural resources in exchange for military aid. The terms of this agreement, which are usually imposed on defeated aggressor states, according to reports by the British publication The Telegraph, go far beyond the demands made on Germany and Japan after World War II. The draft agreement, marked as privileged and confidential, was presented on February 7, 2025 and describes an economic colonization of Ukraine by the US, designed to be legally permanent. According to a source close to the document, the treaty contains reparations demands that are "impossible to meet." The draft gives the US 50 percent of revenues from mineral extraction and 50 percent of the value of any new licenses granted to third parties. These revenues would be "confiscated" for the benefit of the US. US seeks near-total control of Ukraine's minerals "This clause means 'pay us first and then feed your children,'" a source familiar with the talks told The Telegraph. The agreement grants the US a right of first refusal on all exportable minerals from future licenses and projects. Washington would also have sovereign immunity and gain almost complete control over much of Ukraine's mineral economy. A special fund in charge of future licenses would have the sole right to determine "method, selection criteria, terms and conditions" of all projects. This suggests comprehensive US control over Ukraine's minerals. Zelensky himself is said to have proposed a direct share of Ukraine's raw materials to the US In an interview with Fox News, Trump said that Ukraine had "essentially agreed" to transfer $500 billion. "They have enormously valuable land in terms of rare earths, oil and gas and other things," Trump said. At the same time, he warned that Ukraine would be handed over to Putin "on a silver platter" if it rejected these conditions. According to the article, President Zelensky himself had raised the idea of ​​granting the US a direct share of Ukraine's rare earths and critical minerals in September during a visit to Trump Tower to clear the way for further arms deliveries.