Donald Trump has hinted at a more "pro-Ukraine stance" after using "Biden-era language" in his statement on his resources deal with Ukraine, it has been claimed.
After months of tense negotiations, the Trump administration has signed a deal with Ukraine on the joint exploitation of energy and mineral resources.
According to the US Treasury statement, the newly created US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund recognises the "significant financial and material support" the US has provided to Ukraine since Russia's invasion in February 2022.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a video statement that the agreement would help "unlock Ukraine's growth assets".
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky have signed a US-Ukraine resources deal
Getty
Discussing the deal on GB News, US Correspondent Sara Firth claimed that the US is using "resource diplomacy" and Trump is "turning his investment" in Ukraine.
She explained: "This is Washington quite literally turning its investment in Ukraine material. They've signed this landmark deal for joint access to some of Ukraine's rare minerals. So things like graphite, titanium and lithium, amongst many other things.
"This is resource diplomacy. The US are trying to counter China's dominance in this area when it comes to rare earth minerals. And Ukraine, for its part, is seeing this as potential security with the US having business interests in Ukraine whilst Russia is attacking us, but also hoping that it will secure longer term US military assistance."
Highlighting the key "breakthrough" moment in securing the deal between the two nations, Firth highlighted that Trump and Zelensky's face-to-face confrontation at Pope Francis's funeral helped secure the agreement.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky met ahead of the Pope's funeralREUTERSFirth said: "You had the US Treasury Secretary calling it a commitment to lasting peace and prosperity. But of course, this was supposed to be done back in February.
"It was that moment where you had Zelensky and Trump face to face at the funeral of Pope Francis, that was really the breakthrough that was needed."
Dissecting the statement, which referred to Russia's "full scale invasion" of Ukraine, Firth claimed the language used in the remarks made by the Trump administration suggest they are pivoting towards a "pro-Ukraine" stance.
Firth told GB News: "If you look at the statement, if you look at the language being used now by the Trump administration, they are saying things, using Biden-era language, essentially condemning Russia's full scale invasion.
Firth told GB News that the US President is hinting at a 'pro-Ukraine stance' following resource deal
GB News
"This is hinting at a more pro Ukraine stance, so it's an interesting moment. This now has been inked in Washington, and it goes back to Kyiv to be ratified by Ukrainian lawmakers there."
The agreement specifies that Ukraine's resources will remain the property of Ukraine, despite the joint exploitation arrangement.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasised that the deal showed both sides were committed to "lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine".
Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the new fund would "attract global investment into our country".
