Trump’s Ukraine Resource Deal Stalls Despite Claims of Quick Signing

President Trump’s bid to lock in a share of Ukraine’s natural resources remains unsigned despite his mid-March promise of a deal very shortly. The pact meant to swap US aid for access to Kyiv’s mineral wealth has hit snags clouding its future. This delay frustrates Trump’s push to flex economic muscle abroad while Ukraine fights to keep its footing against Russia.

Trump pitched the deal as a win-win trading support for rights to Ukraine’s vast deposits of lithium and rare earths. He touted it in Oval Office talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky only for tensions to flare over terms. The White House now downplays expectations admitting hurdles persist despite earlier bravado.

Ukraine sits on resources worth trillions vital for batteries and tech fueling global demand. Trump’s team sees it as leverage to offset billions in military and humanitarian aid since 2022. Kyiv resists fearing a sellout of its sovereignty to a US keen on securing its own supply chains.

The deal’s stall follows a rocky Zelensky visit where Trump bristled at Ukraine’s pushback on concessions. Insiders say the President expected a quick handshake but misjudged Kyiv’s resolve. Ukraine’s leaders argue their war-torn nation can’t afford to cede assets under duress.

Critics blast the plan as extortion twisting aid into a resource grab amid Russia’s onslaught. Supporters call it shrewd business tying US help to tangible returns for taxpayers. The impasse risks souring ties with an ally Trump claims to champion against Putin’s aggression.

Ukraine’s minerals remain untapped due to conflict and outdated surveys from Soviet days. Experts doubt their immediate value without years of investment Trump seems unwilling to wait for. The deal’s collapse could chill US support as Kyiv braces for a brutal spring of fighting.

Democrats decry the haggling as a betrayal of Ukraine’s struggle for freedom over profit. Some Republicans back Trump’s hardball tactic to prioritize American interests in foreign policy. The deadlock leaves both sides digging in with no clear path to a signature.

This faltering pact exposes the limits of Trump’s dealmaking when allies push back on his terms. It raises doubts about his pledge to wrap up Ukraine’s war fast while chasing economic wins. For now the unsigned deal looms as a test of US resolve and Kyiv’s trust in its biggest backer.