Amoral art of deal-making: US-Ukraine pact opens new geopolitical paradigm

The deal, which is subject to ratification by the Ukrainian Rada, signals to Russia that the US is invested in a free Ukraine for the long term

The deal on minerals between Ukraine and the United States (US) underlines a notable shift in the latter’s position as the superpower guarantor of global democracy and peace to a transactional power. At one level, the controversial deal is a face-saving option for both countries after a disastrously ill-tempered meeting in March played out in public between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump. The upsides to this agreement, however, must be set against its uncertainties. In the immediate term, Ukraine’s gains are important.  The deal, which is subject to ratification by the Ukrainian Rada, signals to