The US administration is reconsidering its participation in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. The State Department has announced that the United States will no longer ‘fly around the world at the drop of a hat’ to act as mediators in the negotiations between the parties. This was stated by State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, explaining that the US remains committed to the peace process, but the format of its participation will be different.
‘We are not going to fly around the world at the drop of a hat to mediate meetings, that it is now between the two parties, and now – now is the time that they need to present and develop concrete ideas about how this conflict is going to end.’
Secretary Rubio said in an interview with Fox News that the positions of Moscow and Kiev ‘they’re still far apart.’ According to him, neither Russia can take over all of Ukraine, nor is Ukraine capable of completely dislodging Russia before the 2014 borders. At the same time, he emphasised: The US is ready to promote peace, but President Donald Trump must determine how much more time is worth spending on this conflict, as the global agenda demands attention – particularly challenges from China.
Earlier this week, the USA and Ukraine signed a strategic agreement on joint mining and the creation of the Investment Fund for Ukraine’s Recovery. According to the US Treasury Department, the agreement recognises the large-scale assistance provided to Ukraine after the Russian invasion and is designed to speed up the country’s recovery.
According to the text of the agreement, the parties will create an investment fund with equal shares (50/50). The fund will manage revenues from new mining projects and invest in the capital reconstruction of Ukraine’s infrastructure over the next 10 years.
A condition of principal importance for Kiev is that military aid provided earlier will not be counted as an American contribution. Only new injections after the signing of the agreement will be considered investments. Thus, Ukraine avoided recognising the aid it had already received as a debt, but at the same time pledged to give the USA priority in future tenders for the development of natural resources.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stressed that the agreement did not limit the country’s European integration and provided for an equal partnership.
