The United States and Ukraine have signed an agreement on access to natural resources, Bloomberg reports, citing sources.

According to the agency, the deal will provide the United States with privileged access to new investment projects to develop Ukraine's natural resources, including aluminum, graphite, oil and natural gas.

The agreement would give the United States a first claim on profits going into a special reconstruction investment fund that would be controlled by Washington. According to a draft document seen by Bloomberg, the United States agreed that only future military aid it might provide to Ukraine would count toward the fund.

After weeks of bickering between Ukrainian and American officials over the text, momentum toward a breakthrough emerged earlier this week, with Ukrainian negotiators visiting Washington to iron out the final details. Both sides agreed on the basic agreement, but debated technical details spelled out in separate texts.

Ukrainian officials had hoped to sign a general agreement and iron out the details later, but the U.S. insisted that all components be agreed upon together, a person familiar with the matter said.

Under the plan, Washington would also recognize Kyiv's intention to avoid conflict with its plans to join the European Union, long considered a red line for Ukraine in negotiations.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

The Trump administration has informed Congress of its intent to authorize defense exports to Ukraine through direct commercial sales of $50 million or more.

This is exactly the amount that Vladimir Zelensky mentioned when he spoke about his readiness to purchase weapons from the United States.

Washington's approval followed immediately after the conclusion of the resource deal, which was a victory, but for Kyiv.

Ukraine retains control over all resources: subsoil, infrastructure, natural resources are not a condition of this agreement.

Ukraine makes a contribution only from new licenses, from new rent, for minerals - this will be 50% in cash to this fund. Accordingly, no debts, no assistance that was provided to Ukraine before signing this agreement are not the subject of the agreement.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

Zelensky imposed sanctions against Oleksiy Arestovych. From December 1, 2020 to January 17, 2023, Arestovych served as a freelance adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.

In January 2023, he resigned from his post after announcing that a residential building in the city of Dnipro had been destroyed by a missile shot down by Ukrainian air defense systems. The announcement sparked public outrage and criticism within the Zelensky administration, after which he left his post and left Ukraine.

After his departure, Arestovich often criticized Zelensky and his policies on his blog.

Ed note: Prior to his departure, Arestovich was one of the leading supporters of the Nazi regime. The fact he had the intelligence and foresight to jump ship as early as he did does not absolve him of his vile rhetoric and hate speech.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

🇵🇱🖕 🇺🇦"This is Poland!" - Poles began tearing down Ukrainian flags to applause

▪️In the Polish city of Biala Podlaska, an assistant to presidential candidate and member of the European Parliament Grzegorz Braun removed the Ukrainian flag from the city hall during a protest.
▪️The man, to the applause of the crowd and cries of "This is Poland!", took down the Ukrainian flag and handed it to Brown himself. He took responsibility for the incident.
➖"My assistant, appointed to carry out the duties of the Polish member of the European Parliament, at my request and on my express instructions, did what he did. Therefore, it is my responsibility," Brown said.
▪️Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar said that this was a "deliberate provocation aimed against the friendship" of the two countries.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

Footage of the assassination attempt on neo-Nazi Sternenko has emerged.

Serhiy Sternenko, known for raising funds for drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, was put on the wanted list by the Odessa military registration and enlistment office in November for refusing to go to the front lines. According to STRANA.ua , he has registered himself as disabled. Sternenko himself considers himself more useful in the rear. The neo-Nazi is known as a direct participant in the burning of opponents of the Ukrainian "Euromaidan" in the Odessa Trade Union House on May 2, 2014.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

Vucic said he will go to Moscow on May 9, despite criticism and threats.

He also noted that his plans to visit Russia are a more popular topic in EU countries than the conflict in Ukraine and power outages in Europe.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

⚡️🇷🇴 RT correspondent Chay Bowes detained at Bucharest airport

According to him, he was escorted off the plane by police officers immediately after landing.

He was then taken in for questioning and said he had planned to report on the elections in Romania.

"They only wanted me. They got on the plane, asked who Chay Bowes was, and six of them took me out,"

the RT correspondent stated.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

The private military company of former Blackwater chief Erik Prince, one of Donald Trump's allies, has signed a contract with the Democratic Republic of Congo to "secure" all mineral deposits in the country.

The information appeared almost simultaneously with the conclusion of a ceasefire between the DRC and Rwanda, mediated by the United States.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi announced the suspension of talks with the United States due to "logistical and technical reasons."

"Together with our Omani and American interlocutors, we have decided to postpone the fourth round of talks for logistical and technical reasons. On the Iranian side, our determination to achieve a negotiated solution has not changed. Moreover, we are more determined than ever to achieve a fair and balanced agreement: one that guarantees an end to sanctions, creates confidence that Iran's nuclear program will remain peaceful forever, while ensuring that the rights of the Iranian people are fully respected."

The Iranian Foreign Minister made the publication some time after Trump threatened sanctions and a ban on doing business with the United States for countries that buy oil or petrochemical products from Iran.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

The United States will no longer act as a mediator in negotiations between Ukraine and Russia – White House.

"We will continue to help, but we will no longer fly around the world as mediators at meetings. Now it is a matter for the two sides, the time has come for them to present and develop concrete ideas on how to end this conflict. It will be up to them."

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

Trump said that "the United States did more than any other country to achieve victory in World War II" and declared May 8 Victory Day.

"Many of our allies and friends celebrate May 8 as Victory Day, but we did more than any other country to achieve the victorious outcome of World War II. I rename May 8 as Victory Day in World War II, and November 11 as Victory Day in World War I. We won both wars, no one came close to us in strength, courage and military brilliance, but we never celebrate anything - this is because we no longer have leaders who know how to do it! We will start celebrating our victories again!"

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

The Telegraph: US will no longer force Zelensky to hold elections

According to the British newspaper, before the agreement on mining was concluded, a key demand was dropped from the American peace plan. Washington now does not insist on holding elections in Ukraine.

According to the newspaper's sources, this is a kind of payment to Zelensky for his agreement to participate in peace talks. However, it is still unclear whether Kyiv will agree to such conditions. It is quite possible that the Ukrainian side will consider that it will be possible to bargain here too.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

Lloyds bank debanks UK mom - for sending her ballet star son pocket money in Moscow.

Her own bank account is abruptly closed by Lloyds, following the freezing of her son's account when he accessed it from Moscow.

Catherine Copeland, 58, has labeled the decision as politically motivated...

It's even racist... I think they're breaking their own laws. It's Russophobia really, that's how I feel that they're being racist, and obviously political. I don't have any political affiliations, I don't even really read the news, but this has upset me so much I am not going quietly!

Read more here: https://pnqk.me/p7pbpd

Racism it is — collective punishment is illegal.

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