In geopolitics, ownership is power. History has repeatedly proven that assets – not signatures on paper – determine the fate of nations.
For Ukraine, this lesson was learned in the harshest way through the Budapest Memorandum. Despite security assurances from global powers, Ukraine was left vulnerable. Agreements were broken, promises unmet, and photo opportunities failed to save lives.
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Now, with the recent signing of the minerals deal with the United States, a new opportunity stands before President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine. The updated agreement has been improved and made mutually beneficial for both sides. Importantly, it offers Ukraine something far more valuable than diplomatic pleasantries: ownership and investment that can anchor the country’s security and prosperity for decades. Terms can always be renegotiated. Assets, once secured, give Ukraine leverage that paper promises never can.
President Zelensky has the opportunity to build on this agreement and leverage it into security for Ukraine. America will defend American investments; that is a lesson from the post-WWII rebuilding of Europe and Asia. For decades, Ukraine has been held back due to oligarchic control of key economic sectors and Russian corruption. Now, with the Russians kept out and the Americans in, the influence of oligarchs will be weakened. As a foreign investor in Ukraine since 2016, I have experienced the difficulties of working in Ukraine and protecting my assets from oligarchic raider attacks. Leadership today requires not just battlefield resilience but a bold vision for economic sovereignty and integration with the democratic world. Ukraine is on the cusp of a post-war economic renaissance.
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History also offers clear lessons. Since the Balkan wars of the 1990s – and even as far back as the days of the Barbary pirates – American engagement abroad has been driven by the protection of men, money, and interests. If Uncle Sam is to be truly invested in Ukraine’s future, the strategy must shift from charity to partnership. American investment in Ukraine’s economy, technology, and energy sectors would not simply aid Kyiv; it would be the most cost-effective move to deter future invasions and secure lasting peace in Europe.
Zelensky has wisely compromised with the United States on a deal too valuable to ignore. In the process, it will help transform Ukraine into a fortress of American technology, energy independence, and cybersecurity – a zone completely free from Russian and Chinese influence. This is more than just geopolitics; it is the opportunity to finally sever Russia’s five-century-long grip over Ukraine.
By inviting American investment and making Ukraine a new strategic partner – second only to Israel – Zelensky can cement his legacy as the leader who not only defended Ukraine from invasion but also changed the country’s economic destiny. The post-WWII successes of Japan, Germany, and South Korea stand as proof that US investment, combined with the import of rule of law and democratic ethics, creates stability, prosperity, and enduring alliances.
Is the minerals deal with the US perfect?
No, but it’s a crucial step in the right direction. Good is not the enemy of perfect and this agreement breaks the shackles of economic servitude by keeping Russia and China out, and bringing the West in. As the invasion continues, Ukrainian soldiers fight for the future and generations of Ukrainians to come. While a lasting cease fire remains essential, Ukraine’s future now is much brighter. As the country’s national anthem states, “Ukraine is not dead yet,” and in fact, is only starting to really live.
The best is yet to come.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.
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