The joint US-Ukrainian reconstruction investment fund has sealed its first critical minerals deal ‌alongside four other new projects.

Axar.az reports, citing Reuters, that according to one of its top US officials, the fund, established as part of the minerals pact the two countries signed in April last year following a push by US President ​Donald Trump, is focused on five strategic sectors from minerals and defence to ​energy and infrastructure.

Conor Coleman, head of investments at the US International Development ⁠Finance Corporation (DFC), said the fund's projects now total around $70 million and showed Washington's support ​for Kyiv in the long-running war with Russia.

"It's absolutely imperative for the Ukrainian people that ​we're investing now," Coleman said in an interview, referring to the ongoing damage to Ukraine as it faces another winter.

The long-anticipated first minerals deal will inject roughly $30 million into a "joint investment platform" with BGV Group, ​a firm founded by Hennadii Butkevych, the billionaire co-owner of Ukraine's largest supermarket chain ​ATB.

Coleman said it would initially focus on early-stage mining projects across Ukraine and target rare earths, uranium, ‌beryllium and ⁠zirconium deposits.

"They are all on the US critical minerals list, so it ties in very well with what we're looking to do from a (US) administration priority (standpoint)," Coleman said.