US signs deal to access Ukraine's vast mineral resources
NEWS CENTER Maine
[{'start': '0.320', 'end': '4.240', 'text': 'The US and Ukraine have signed an'}, {'start': '2.000', 'end': '7.120', 'text': 'agreement that grants America access to'}, {'start': '4.240', 'end': '8.960', 'text': "Ukraine's vast mineral resources. This"}, {'start': '7.120', 'end': '11.679', 'text': 'was a deal months in the making that'}, {'start': '8.960', 'end': '13.599', 'text': "nearly didn't happen after a tense White"}, {'start': '11.679', 'end': '15.519', 'text': 'House meeting. It is not immediately'}, {'start': '13.599', 'end': '17.760', 'text': 'clear if the deal will help bring an end'}, {'start': '15.519', 'end': '20.000', 'text': 'to the war Russia is waging against that'}, {'start': '17.760', 'end': '22.800', 'text': "country. NBC's Matt Bodner has more from"}, {'start': '20.000', 'end': '24.240', 'text': 'London. At first glance, the Ukrainians'}, {'start': '22.800', 'end': '26.400', 'text': 'appear to have gotten more of what they'}, {'start': '24.240', 'end': '28.800', 'text': 'wanted out of this one. Second and third'}, {'start': '26.400', 'end': '30.960', 'text': "glances, too. It's important to remember"}, {'start': '28.800', 'end': '33.360', 'text': "how we got here and why it's taken so"}, {'start': '30.960', 'end': '35.120', 'text': 'long to seal this deal. The short answer'}, {'start': '33.360', 'end': '38.000', 'text': 'is President Trump approached with some'}, {'start': '35.120', 'end': '39.600', 'text': 'heavy almost colonial demands. Ukraine'}, {'start': '38.000', 'end': '41.520', 'text': 'dug in and the White House in the end'}, {'start': '39.600', 'end': '43.680', 'text': 'appears to have caved on some key'}, {'start': '41.520', 'end': '45.360', 'text': 'points. One of those key points concerns'}, {'start': '43.680', 'end': '47.440', 'text': "Trump's previous claim that Ukraine"}, {'start': '45.360', 'end': '49.600', 'text': 'would need to use this deal to pay back'}, {'start': '47.440', 'end': '52.000', 'text': 'the United States for aid provided over'}, {'start': '49.600', 'end': '54.320', 'text': 'the past 3 years. Trump appeared to be'}, {'start': '52.000', 'end': '56.480', 'text': 'fixated on the factually incorrect idea'}, {'start': '54.320', 'end': '59.039', 'text': 'that Ukraine would pay Europe back, but'}, {'start': '56.480', 'end': '61.280', 'text': 'not the United States. The agreement, as'}, {'start': '59.039', 'end': '62.960', 'text': 'signed, makes no mention of any debts to'}, {'start': '61.280', 'end': '65.360', 'text': 'the United States for past aid, and'}, {'start': '62.960', 'end': '67.439', 'text': 'instead it focuses exclusively on joint'}, {'start': '65.360', 'end': '69.520', 'text': 'investment in forward-looking mineral'}, {'start': '67.439', 'end': '71.040', 'text': 'extraction projects. Furthermore, the'}, {'start': '69.520', 'end': '73.280', 'text': 'agreement provides for complete'}, {'start': '71.040', 'end': '74.880', 'text': 'Ukrainian control over these projects'}, {'start': '73.280', 'end': '77.840', 'text': 'with the United States playing a role'}, {'start': '74.880', 'end': '80.080', 'text': 'more akin to a co-beneficiary with a 50%'}, {'start': '77.840', 'end': '82.320', 'text': 'stake. For the first decade, at least'}, {'start': '80.080', 'end': '84.320', 'text': 'according to Ukraine, all profits will'}, {'start': '82.320', 'end': '86.320', 'text': 'generated by the fund will be directly'}, {'start': '84.320', 'end': '88.240', 'text': 'reinvested into the reconstruction of'}, {'start': '86.320', 'end': '90.880', 'text': 'Ukraine and that is of course another'}, {'start': '88.240', 'end': '93.119', 'text': 'big win for the Ukrainians. There is'}, {'start': '90.880', 'end': '95.040', 'text': 'however one big provision that Keefe has'}, {'start': '93.119', 'end': '96.880', 'text': 'been pushing for that is not covered in'}, {'start': '95.040', 'end': '99.520', 'text': 'the agreement and that would be security'}, {'start': '96.880', 'end': '101.600', 'text': 'guarantees from the United States visav'}, {'start': '99.520', 'end': '103.520', 'text': 'Russia. However, Ukrainian officials'}, {'start': '101.600', 'end': '106.399', 'text': 'have said that the United States, in'}, {'start': '103.520', 'end': '108.320', 'text': 'addition to hard cash, has the option to'}, {'start': '106.399', 'end': '110.560', 'text': 'provide additional military assistance'}, {'start': '108.320', 'end': '112.320', 'text': 'to Ukraine as part of their contribution'}, {'start': '110.560', 'end': '114.479', 'text': 'to this mineral fund. And that would'}, {'start': '112.320', 'end': '116.479', 'text': 'particularly cover air defense systems'}, {'start': '114.479', 'end': '118.159', 'text': 'that are used um to protect the cities'}, {'start': '116.479', 'end': '120.719', 'text': "and they've saved so many civilian lives"}, {'start': '118.159', 'end': '122.479', 'text': 'throughout the war. But broader military'}, {'start': '120.719', 'end': '125.119', 'text': 'aid, that is something that will be part'}, {'start': '122.479', 'end': '128.319', 'text': 'of a of the larger negotiation effort'}, {'start': '125.119', 'end': '132.160', 'text': 'and that is still ongoing. Matt Bodner,'}, {'start': '128.319', 'end': '134.160', 'text': 'NBC News, London. Ukraine is rich in a'}, {'start': '132.160', 'end': '135.920', 'text': 'number of rare earth minerals. Those are'}, {'start': '134.160', 'end': '138.160', 'text': 'necessary for a lot of our electronics'}, {'start': '135.920', 'end': '140.080', 'text': 'and computer equipment. The deal also'}, {'start': '138.160', 'end': '142.400', 'text': 'does not prevent Ukraine from joining'}, {'start': '140.080', 'end': '144.319', 'text': 'NATO, although the separate ceasefire'}, {'start': '142.400', 'end': '146.800', 'text': 'deal proposed by the US still includes'}, {'start': '144.319', 'end': '146.800', 'text': 'that provision.'}]