Ukraine says it has signed outline of minerals deal with US

[Emrys]

7. It's a bit more positive so far than many of us had been fearing

There's also been word that the US had downscaled its ridiculous estimate of the value of the aid it had given Ukraine from $350 billion to $100 billion, which is a start. Accepting that it was grants, not loans, is probably a bridge too far, but small mercies and all that.

The crunch is the actual minerals deal. If it's as greedy, piratical and unrealistic as earlier drafts have suggested, it might never be ratified by the Ukrainian parliament. The Americans may be aware of that, but logic isn't their master nowadays.

I've cross-posted my original OP in GD for more visibility: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220249059