Abu Jakir :
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to secure a deal that would grant the United States significant access to Ukraine’s critical mineral resources. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump claimed that an agreement could be signed soon, allowing the U.S. to recoup between $400 billion and $500 billion in exchange for past defense support to Kyiv.
“It’s a big deal, but they [Ukrainians] want it, and it keeps us in that country,” Trump said, emphasizing that the agreement should have been finalized before the U.S. military aid was provided to Ukraine.
The proposal is part of broader negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, though Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reportedly rejected the initial terms. U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, suggested that Zelensky would eventually sign the deal, calling it beneficial for Ukraine.
However, tensions have flared between Trump and Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader dismissed Trump’s claim that Ukraine initiated the conflict with Russia, accusing him of falling into a “Russian-influenced disinformation space.” In response, Trump labeled Zelensky a “dictator without elections” on his Truth Social platform.
The Role of Ukraine’s Critical Minerals
Ukraine holds vast reserves of critical minerals essential for advanced technologies, defense, and energy production. These include lithium, cobalt, titanium, and tantalum-materials vital for industries ranging from aerospace to renewable energy. Reports suggest that Ukraine possesses 22 of the 34 minerals deemed essential by the European Union.
Currently, China dominates the global supply chains for these materials, which has heightened U.S. interest in securing alternative sources. Trump has suggested that the U.S. should receive 50% of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as compensation for military aid, but Zelensky has resisted, citing the lack of security guarantees in the proposal.
