The agreement between Ukraine and the USA, signed by President Donald Trump, regarding mineral resources will not yield significant results at least until 2030 and will require substantial private investments for project implementation. Industry representatives express their concerns about the realism of the agreement.
This is reported by Finway
Long Process of Agreement Implementation
Eric Rasmussen, former head of the natural resources department at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), noted:
“It could take 10-15 years”
. This indicates that the implementation of the agreement will require time and resources.
Obstacles to Extraction
Peter Bryant, head of the consulting group Clareo, emphasized that this agreement
“provides little for reducing risks in the supply chain in the next 10 years, as it will take at least as long to open and develop mines”
in Ukraine.
Among the serious obstacles that may affect mineral extraction are the war with Russia, a lack of complete geological data, damaged infrastructure, and corruption risks. These factors, along with the usual challenges associated with implementing new resource projects, may result in mines opened under the agreement starting production only after 2040.
Access to geological survey data from the Soviet era, most of which is classified due to the war, is also a significant barrier. Furthermore, considering the long history of extraction in Ukraine, the most promising deposits may have already been developed.