KIEV -- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced Tuesday that his country has started consultations with the United States on a revised minerals agreement, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.

Sybiha confirmed that Ukraine received a new draft of the minerals agreement on Friday from the US side, adding that "consultations with the United States on the agreement text have already begun, with the first round having already taken place."

He said the deal is expected to boost the presence of major US businesses in Ukraine and strengthen the security of the country's infrastructure.

Sybiha noted that Kiev is committed to signing a document that would meet the national interests of both Ukraine and the United States.

The agreement, initially scheduled for signing on Feb 28 in Washington to grant the United States access to Ukraine's mineral resources, was delayed following a tense exchange of words between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump at the White House.