Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-25

[Bauer]

The mineral deal talk gives me bad vibes.  It's like you find a kid who just got hit by a drunk driver, you help them to their feet, then call up their parents and demand something before taking them to the hospital.  Oh and also blame the kid for diving into the car.

[Razgovory]

Nevermind, there already Chinese in Ukraine fighting for Russia.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-lawmakers-ask-rubio-answers-chinese-fighters-ukraine-2025-04-30/

WASHINGTON, April 30 (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers have asked the State Department to brief them about Russia's use of Chinese fighters in its war in Ukraine, saying in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday that Moscow could only employ Chinese mercenaries with Beijing's "tacit approval."
Earlier this month, Ukraine said its forces had captured two Chinese men in eastern Ukraine and that at least 155 Chinese nationals were fighting on the Russian side.


U.S. officials have confirmed the intelligence to Reuters, but described the men as mercenaries who do not appear to have a direct link to China's government.
The letter, sent by the House of Representatives' select committee on China, reflects a growing desire among China hawks in Congress to see President Donald Trump's administration pressure China over its alignment with Russia.
The Republican chair of the committee, John Moolenaar, and its top Democratic Representative, Raja Krishnamoorthi, said the presence of Chinese fighters in Ukraine showed those deepening ties.
"Given the Chinese Communist Party's broad control in Chinese society, it is clear that Russia's recruitment campaign of PRC (People's Republic of China) nationals could not exist without at least the tacit approval of the Party," the lawmakers told Rubio in the April 30 letter seen by Reuters

They asked the State Department to outline for Congress whether the U.S. has confronted Beijing about the developments and what actions it was pursuing to address it.
China, which has declared a "no-limits" partnership with Russia, has condemned "irresponsible remarks" about its nationals fighting in Russia's war in Ukraine. Beijing has tried to position itself as an actor in attempts to negotiate an end to the war, though it has refrained from criticizing Moscow's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
China's embassy in Washington reiterated that the Chinese government always asks Chinese nationals to "avoid any form of involvement in armed conflict, and in particular avoid participation in any party's military operations."
The State Department has called the reports of Chinese men fighting in Moscow's war "disturbing."

[Josquius]

I do get the impression the mineral deals only purpose is to give the US a "win" over Ukraine.
As surely Ukraine would be keen for investment anyway. And iirc Ukraine doesn't have any especially rare and precious minerals.
I guess there's a gamble of give the petulant child what he wants as no future us president would throw silly imperialist weight around in such a way. Also I hear everything dodgy for Ukraine has been removed.


Something curious I read the other day - supplies of new equipment for the Russians are being purposefully held back. They've built 300 new tanks that haven't gone anywhere near Ukraine. They're saving them for another war as they know they'll just get blown up by drones in Ukraine.
1: Though surely the same holds true in another war?
2: Worrying for Europe. They're also building military facilities along the Finnish border. Russia does have a small window to continue it's expanionism after Ukraine. I still think this would be dumb for them though.

Also apparently a situation going on with Australia wanting to donate more Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
The US is blocking Australia from doing this...
And Ukraine maybe doesn't want them anyway. They're rubbish for their needs.

[Zanza]

[...]

Ukraine and the U.S. on Wednesday signed a deal heavily promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump that will give the United States preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and fund investment in Ukraine's reconstruction.

Svyrydenko said the accord allowed Ukraine to "determine what and where to extract" and that its subsoil remains owned by Ukraine.

[...]

Svyrydenko said Ukraine has no debt obligations to the United States under the agreement, a key point in the lengthy negotiations between the two countries.

The deal also, she said, complied with Ukraine's constitution and Ukraine's campaign to join the European Union, key elements in Ukraine's negotiating position.

[...]

A draft of the U.S.-Ukraine agreement seen by Reuters earlier on Wednesday showed Ukraine secured the removal of any requirement for it to pay back the U.S. for past military assistance, something Kyiv had staunchly opposed.

The draft did not provide any concrete U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine, one of its initial goals.

[...]

https://www.reuters.com/world/kyiv-is-ready-sign-resources-deal-with-us-ukraine-government-source-says-2025-04-30/

Some stuff on what is not in the agreement, but very little to be found what is in there. Some kind of reconstruction fund financed by mining rights. Sounds like a piece of paper to appease Trump.