Minerals agreement has strengthened U.S.-Ukraine relations – Ambassador Taylor
Washington and Kyiv are demonstrating a new level of strategic cooperation, particularly in the fields of energy and defense, and the recently signed minerals agreement between the two countries marks a significant step in solidifying that partnership, according to William Taylor, a Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council and former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine (2006-2009 and 2019-2020).
Speaking at the 17th Annual Kyiv Security Forum titled "UA: Unite Again to Defeat the Global Aggressor," organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation "Open Ukraine," Taylor highlighted that the U.S. Department of the Treasury has prepared a sanctions package which, if approved, would impose tariffs of up to 500% on importers of Russian oil.
"Oil is now $56 a barrel, $49 a barrel. The Russians are having a real hard time with $49 a barrel," Taylor said, commenting on Russia's economic situation.
He also noted that the U.S. Department of State has announced the preparation of a new military aid package for Ukraine, which includes F-16 fighter jets. According to the former ambassador, this too signals a shift in the strategic outlook of the Trump administration.
"Is this an evolution in Washington? It might be, we are watching a shift, we will see," he added.