Ukraine offers rare earth deal to Trump for more US military aid

By SAMYA KULLAB, Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has offered to onslaught a woody with U.S. President Donald Trump for continued American subject aid successful speech for processing Ukraine’s mineral industry, which could supply a invaluable root of the uncommon world elements that are indispensable for galore kinds of technology.

Trump said that helium wanted specified a deal earlier this month, and it was initially projected past autumn by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arsenic portion of his program to fortify Kyiv’s manus successful aboriginal negotiations with Moscow.

“We truly person this large imaginable successful the territory which we control,” Andrii Yermak, main of unit to the Ukrainian president, said successful an exclusive interrogation with The Associated Press. “We are funny to work, to develop, with our partners, archetypal of all, with the United States.”

Here is simply a look astatine Ukraine’s uncommon world manufacture and however a woody mightiness travel together:

What are uncommon world elements?

Rare world elements are a acceptable of 17 elements that are indispensable to galore kinds of user technology, including cellphones, hard drives and electrical and hybrid vehicles.

It’s unclear if Trump is seeking circumstantial elements successful Ukraine, which besides has different minerals to offer.

“It tin beryllium lithium. It tin beryllium titanium, uranium, galore others,” Yermak said. “It’s a lot.”

China, Trump’s main geopolitical adversary, is the world’s largest producer of uncommon world elements. Both the U.S and Europe person sought to trim their dependence connected Beijing.

For Ukraine, specified a woody would guarantee that its biggest and astir consequential state doesn’t frost subject support. That would beryllium devastating for the country, which has been astatine warfare for astir 3 years aft Russia’s full-scale invasion connected Feb. 24, 2022.

The thought besides comes astatine a clip erstwhile reliable and uninterrupted entree to captious minerals is progressively hard to travel by globally.

What is the authorities of the Ukrainian minerals industry?

Ukraine’s uncommon world elements are mostly untapped due to the fact that of the warfare and due to the fact that of authorities policies regulating the mineral industry. The state besides lacks bully accusation to usher the improvement of uncommon world mining.

FILE – Ukrainian servicemen of 24th Mechanized Brigade bid not acold from the beforehand enactment successful the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)

Geological information is bladed due to the fact that mineral reserves are scattered crossed Ukraine, and existing studies are considered mostly inadequate. The industry’s existent imaginable is clouded by insufficient research, according to businessmen and analysts.

In general, the outlook for Ukrainian earthy resources is promising. The country’s reserves of titanium, a cardinal constituent for the aerospace, aesculapian and automotive industries, are believed to beryllium among Europe’s largest. Ukraine besides holds immoderate of Europe’s largest known reserves of lithium, which is required to nutrient batteries, ceramics and glass.

In 2021, the Ukrainian mineral manufacture accounted for 6.1% of the country’s gross home merchandise and 30% of exports.

An estimated 40% of Ukraine’s metallic mineral resources are inaccessible due to the fact that of Russian occupation, according to information from We Build Ukraine, a Kyiv-based deliberation tank. Ukraine has argued that it’s successful Trump’s involvement to make the remainder earlier Russian advances seizure more.

The European Commission, the enforcement subdivision of the European Union, identified Ukraine arsenic a imaginable supplier for much than 20 captious earthy materials and concluded that if the state joins the 27-nation EU, it could fortify the European economy.

What happens next?

Details of immoderate woody volition apt make successful meetings betwixt U.S. and Ukrainian officials. Zelenskyy and Trump volition astir apt sermon the taxable erstwhile they meet.

U.S. companies person expressed interest, according to Ukrainian concern officials. But striking a ceremonial woody would apt necessitate legislation, geological surveys and dialog of circumstantial terms.

It’s unclear what benignant of information guarantees companies would necessitate to hazard moving successful Ukraine, adjacent successful the lawsuit of a ceasefire. And nary 1 knows for definite what benignant of financing agreements would underpin contracts betwixt Ukraine and U.S companies.

Susie Blann contributed to this report.

Originally Published: February 11, 2025 astatine 7:30 AM EST