Starmer and Zelensky signed a deal for Ukraine’s “critical minerals” days before Trump took office
Just days before US President Donald Trump took office, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a deal that gave the UK rights over Ukraine’s minerals. Tony Shaffer believes the row between President Trump and Zelensky was because the Trump administration found out and felt America was being played.
On 16 January, the UK government signed a partnership agreement with the Ukrainian government. Within the agreement is a clause which states that the UK and Ukraine “may enter into further agreements or arrangements as necessary and appropriate to implement this Agreement.” The agreement was signed in Kyiv.
Under the above-mentioned clause, governments of both countries published a policy paper on 17 January titled ‘UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership Declaration’ which laid out “understandings” that both sides had reached. This Declaration had also been signed in Kyiv on 16 January 2025. President Trump took office a few days later on 20 January 2025.
One of the understandings in the Declaration is that the UK will provide Ukraine with annual military assistance of no less than £3 billion a year until 2030/31 and for as long as needed.
Ukraine gets no less than £3 billion a year for anything up to 100 years, so what does the UK get out of it?
Under the heading ‘0.5 Pillar 5 – Energy, Climate And Clean Energy Transition’, the Declaration states: “3. Deepening cooperation in the energy sector will include: … (iv) supporting development of a Ukrainian critical minerals strategy and necessary regulatory structures required to support the maximisation of benefits from Ukraine’s natural resources, through the possible establishment of a Joint Working Group.”
Under the heading ‘0.10 Final Provisions’, the Declaration states: “The provisions of this Declaration will continue in effect for 100 years from the date of signature. Provisions may be amended at any time by joint decision of the Participants.” And, the Declaration “may be terminated by either Participant by sending a written notice to the other Participant. The Declaration will be terminated six months from the date of receipt of such notice.”
The agreement signed by the UK and Ukraine was noted by retired US Army Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer in a Newsmax report on Sunday.
The White House and Ukraine are involved in a “battle of duelling narratives” over Ukraine’s minerals deal, considering that three days before President Trump’s inauguration, the British signed an agreement with Ukraine that includes rights to the resources, Shaffer told Newsmax.
Shaffer said he believes the strong words toward Zelensky last Friday in the Oval Office were the result of President Trump and his team finding out “they were being played.”
The ‘UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership Declaration’ covers numerous sectors: military, air force and navy, advancement of Ukraine’s membership to NATO, intelligence sharing, combatting serious and organised crime, addressing corruption, fraud, financial and economic crime, business-to-business trading, developing a world-class financial centre through a City of London-Ukraine Hub, support Ukraine’s public procurement regime, cooperation on agriculture and food security with the use of advanced agritechnology and machine learning capabilities, deliver modern, green infrastructure aligned with climate and net zero obligations, building a greener, smarter Ukrainian transport network, protection of civilian energy infrastructure and counteract cyber and hybrid attacks, justice and accountability, combating foreign information manipulation, propaganda and interference, collaborate in science, technology and innovation, launch a space partnership, “strengthen our health systems together,” developing a long-term culture and sports partnership and the list goes on and on. Essentially, it seems as if the UK is taking over Ukraine.
“In this agreement, Russia is mentioned 15 times. British – 7 times. United Kingdom – 3 times. Europe – 4 times. Ukraine – 121 times. NATO – 10 times. America or US – none. But rest assured, the US military is the security guarantee (NATO) because the Brits can’t provide anything but blather and minuscule nuclear deterrence,” Jason Powers said.
“In the Brits’ plan, the United Kingdom wants the US Military to do all the heavy lifting (with NATO) while they garner all the benefits,” he added.
