Bangladesh, May 1 -- In a significant turn of events that could reshape the dynamics of the Ukraine conflict, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has hailed a newly signed natural resource agreement between Washington and Kiev as an “important step” toward ending the war. The agreement, finalized after months of negotiation, grants the United States access to Ukraines substantial mineral reserves in exchange for economic assistance aimed at bolstering the embattled nations recovery efforts.

The long-anticipated deal, signed on Wednesday, notably excludes any provisions for US security guarantees to Ukraine-a goal that had been part of early discussions, according to sources like Reuters and The New York Times. Instead, the agre...