Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken out sharply against MPs who may not support the ratification of a mineral cooperation agreement with the United States. Speaking to reporters on May 3, he said he considered it appropriate to cancel American visas for those MPs who do not vote for the document.
"There are people who are determined not to do this. For example, I believe that the US should simply cancel their visas. They come to the US every month. They tell us how bad it is in Ukraine, how to end the war very quickly, which parts of Ukraine are important, which are not very important," Zelensky noted.
The President stressed that supporting the agreement is not just important from the point of view of cooperation with American partners, but is critically necessary for preserving Ukrainian statehood in the conditions of war with Russia. According to him, deputies cannot “play a double game” — travel to the United States, build the image of allies, and then refuse to support key projects for both countries.
"The result will be on the scoreboard: who voted and who didn't," the president emphasized.
We will remind you that the Verkhovna Rada is to consider the issue of ratifying the agreement with the US on May 8. As reported by People's Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak, the document is part of broader cooperation in the energy sector.
The agreement provides for the creation of a Reconstruction Investment Fund, which is to attract American and international investments into the Ukrainian economy, in particular in the field of natural resource development. The document was signed on the night of May 1 by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko.
President Zelenskyy said this was one of the first agreements reached after his historic meeting with US President Donald Trump at the Vatican on April 26. The agreement must be approved by the Verkhovna Rada to enter into force.
