Bangladesh, April 19 -- The United States and Ukraine have signed a preliminary memorandum outlining a rare-earth minerals partnership, a development signaling a deepening but increasingly transactional relationship between Washington and Kiev. The memorandum, announced on April 18 by Ukraines First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy Yulia Sviridenko, marks a step toward a final Economic Partnership Agreement that is expected to be signed as early as next week, according to US President Donald Trump.

This new agreement arrives amid a complex backdrop of geopolitical tensions, debates over the costs of continued US involvement in Ukraines war with Russia, and increasing scrutiny of financial assistance given to Kiev. While ...