Revealed: Donald Trump's proposed minerals deal with Ukraine... and how US President is 'holding a gun to Zelensky's head'

Donald Trump's proposed minerals deal with Ukraine has been laid out by insiders - and compared to holding a gun to Volodymyr Zelensky's head. 

The deal will see the United States handed control of Ukraine's mineral wealth and infrastructure linked to natural resources in an agreement which would be unparalleled in the history of modern diplomacy.

On top of this, the plan - which was obtained by the Daily Telegraph - hands America unprecedented control over the sale of the war torn nation's resources which could include vetoing sales to China or restricting sales to Europe.

Despite the massive economic control handed over to the US it would come with no security guarantee in light of a future Russian invasion.

The shocking proposals come after the US met with delegations from Russia and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia earlier this month to discuss prospective steps towards a ceasefire.  

Alan Riley, an expert on energy law at the Atlantic Council, told the Telegraph the document is like nothing he has ever seen before.

'There are no guarantees, no defence clauses, the US puts up nothing,' he said.

A United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund would control Ukraine's natural resources including critical minerals and natural gas.

Three of the five board members on the new fund will be chosen by the US and America will be given the first right of refusal on all projects.

The US would also have the power to examine the books and accounts of any Ukrainian ministry or agency when it wants to. 

This deal is running parallel with talks between Russia and America to to restore West Siberian gas flows to Europe in large volumes.

The revived gas trade would flow through Ukraine’s network, and then via the Baltic once the sabotaged Nord Stream pipelines are mended. 

Prof Riley said: 'It is not compatible with EU membership, and perhaps that is part of the purpose. I have to wonder whether the real intention might not be to force Zelensky to reject it.'

This latest development comes days after the White House announced that Ukraine and Russia agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea to ensure safe navigation as they move closer toward a peace deal.

The agreement also implements a ban on attacks by the two countries on each other's energy facilities.

It is the clearest move to a wider ceasefire deal that the Trump administration sees as a positive step toward ending the war.

The agreements reached in Saudi Arabia follow talks initiated by President Donald Trump, who has vowed to swiftly end the war.

'The United States and Russia have agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea,' the White House said in a statement.

Both countries said they would rely on the U.S. to enforce the deals as discussions remain ongoing in Jeddah.

'If the Russians violate this, then I have a direct question for President Trump. If they violate, here is the evidence - we ask for sanctions, we ask for weapons, etc,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: 'We will need clear guarantees. And given the sad experience of agreements with just Kyiv, the guarantees can only be the result of an order from Washington to Zelensky and his team to do one thing and not the other.'

Under the agreement with Moscow, Washington promised to help restore Russian access to markets for its agricultural and fertiliser exports. The Kremlin said this would require lifting some sanctions.

The talks followed separate phone calls last week between Trump and the two presidents, Zelensky and Vladimir Putin. Putin rejected Trump's proposal for a full ceasefire lasting 30 days, which Ukraine had previously endorsed.