Trump proposes exchange of US aid for Ukrainian rare earth elements
Photo: AP / Jason Allen
US President Donald Trump said he wants to conclude an agreement with Kyiv under which Ukraine would supply the United States with rare earth minerals needed for electronics in exchange for American aid.
Agence France Presse and Barrons reported that.
"We are talking to them [Ukraine and the Russian Federation, – ed.] right now; we are working on agreements so that we have guarantees and other things. We are telling Ukraine that they have really valuable rare earth metals," Trump said during a conversation with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House.
In a recent statement, President Trump expressed his belief that Europe is falling behind in its support for Ukraine despite its geographical proximity. He emphasized that Europe shares a direct border, unlike the United States, which is separated from Ukraine by an ocean. Consequently, President Trump asserted that Europe should, at a minimum, contribute an amount equal to the assistance provided by the United States.
"We're looking to do a deal with Ukraine, where they're going to secure what we're giving them with their rare earths and other things," Trump added.
For reference:
Ukraine has rare natural resources, including graphite, uranium, titanium, and lithium.
He noted that these are natural resources and critically important metals worth trillions of US dollars. The Ukrainian head of state emphasized these include uranium, titanium, lithium, graphite, and other strategically valuable resources that are a significant advantage in global competition.
As the Financial Times wrote, this item was actually developed for Trump and was supposed to interest him.
- What are rare earth elements?
This is a group of 17 chemical elements, 14 of which belong to the lanthanides, and the other three have similar properties. Despite their names, some elements, such as cerium and neodymium, are common in the earth's crust. Still, due to their dispersal and difficulty in extraction, they are considered "rare."
Rare earth elements are important for high-tech industries. They are used in electronics, magnets, batteries, military equipment, lasers, and glass production, among other things.
Ukraine has significant reserves of rare earth elements within the Ukrainian Crystal Shield. However, the Azov rare earth deposit in the Nikolsky district of the Donetsk region has fallen into occupation.
According to Forbes' estimate for 2023, the total value of minerals in Ukraine will reach $15 trillion. At the same time, more than 70% of the total amount will fall to just three regions: Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Luhansk.
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