Ukraine woos Trump with prospect of mineral riches

Energy & Environment

The Big Story

Ukraine woos Trump with prospect of mineral riches

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is leveraging the country’s large deposits of rare earth materials and critical minerals to win the favor of President Trump ahead of high-stakes negotiations to end Russia’s war of aggression.

Trump said Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to begin negotiations immediately, with plans to meet in Saudi Arabia. Trump’s top officials are in Europe this week huddling with Ukrainian and European officials on plans to end the war.

Ukraine is offering itself as a reliable partner in the global competition for key mineral resources — if occupying Russian forces are ousted from Ukrainian territory where some of these resources are located.

“We have a lot of rare sources, rare materials, which is crucially important for weapon production. We explained to our colleagues as now, under Russian control, our eastern part, where there are a lot of these resources,” Lesia Zaburanna, a Ukrainian member of Parliament, told The Hill, following meetings in Washington D.C. last week.

“For us it’s very important to liberate [these territories] because in this case, these resources will be developed by Ukraine and the USA. But not Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was in Kyiv on Wednesday and said that a minerals deal with Washington would provide Ukraine with a post-war “security shield.”

“Security matters. Moscow and its allies cannot be allowed to gain control over Ukraine, and that means we must work together—across the free world,” Zelensky posted on X about his meeting with Bessent.

Read more from Rachel and our colleague Laura Kelly at TheHill.com.

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Topics

The Ukrainian mineral riches in Trump’s sights

Vast estimated deposits of lithium, titanium and rare earths such as gallium have yet to be significantly developed
Financial Times - 2d
Why Trump wants Ukraine’s minerals

Vast estimated deposits of lithium and titanium have yet to be significantly developed
Financial Times - 1d
How Ukraine Pitched Trump on a Deal for Critical Minerals

President Trump says he wants to make a deal for minerals from Ukraine in exchange for aid. That followed a long effort by Ukrainian officials to appeal to Mr. Trump’s transactional nature.
The New York Times - Feb. 12
Trump says Ukraine "may be Russian someday," as he eyes mineral wealth

Trump wants Ukraine to sign a deal with the U.S. guaranteeing access to its mineral resources, but Ukraine wants some guarantees of its own.
CBS News - Feb. 11
Ukraine rejects Trump bid to take rights to half its mineral reserves

Kyiv wants security guarantees to be tied to any natural resources deal
Financial Times - 5d
Zelensky Rejects Trump Administration Demand for Half of Ukraine’s Mineral Resources

President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly faulted the American proposal because it did not include security guarantees.
The New York Times - 3d
Ukraine should 'tone it down,' sign Trump mineral deal, Waltz says

National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said Thursday that officials in Kyiv "need to tone it down" after a fierce back and forth Trump and Zelenskyy.
ABC News - 1h
In Ukraine, a potential arms-for-minerals deal inspires hope and skepticism

Ukraine boasts vast reserves of ilmenite, a key element used to produce titanium, in the heavy mineral sands that stretch for miles along the country’s embattled east
ABC News - 4d
Kyiv’s White House wooing implodes as Zelenskyy tells the truth about Trump | Julian Borger

All America’s allies know that Trump is trapped in a disinformation bubble, but Zelenskyy said it out loud. Trump calls Zelenskyy a ‘dictator’ who should ‘move fast’ or lose country as row with ...
The Guardian - 23h