Ukraine parliament to vote on ratifying US minerals deal on May 8: lawmaker

Ukraine's parliament will hold a vote on May 8 to ratify a minerals deal signed with the US earlier this week, a lawmaker said on Friday, while two other documents pertaining to the agreement will not need to be ratified.

Ukraine and the US signed a deal on Wednesday that will give the US preferential access to new investments in extraction of Ukraine's natural resources, and fund investment in the country's reconstruction.

The accord, heavily promoted by US President Donald Trump, is central to Kyiv's efforts to mend ties with the White House, its main military backer in its war against Russian invasion. The ties frayed after Trump took office in January.

Lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak published the date of the ratification vote on the Telegram messaging app.

He also cited Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal as telling parliament on Friday that two of the documents related to the deal covered its implementation and would not need to be ratified.

Ukraine's cabinet registered a bill to ratify the minerals deal with the US late on Thursday, according to the parliamentary database.

Ukraine aims to ratify it within the next few weeks, first deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Thursday.

“We want to ratify it as soon as possible. We plan to do it within the coming weeks,” she told an online briefing.