EU proposes agreement with Ukraine on rare earth metals
The European Union has proposed its own agreement to Ukraine regarding using rare earth materials, presenting terms expected to be more favorable than those offered by the United States.
The European Commissioner for Industrial Strategy, Stéphane Séjourné, stated this in Politico.
"Twenty-one of the 30 critical materials Europe needs can be provided by Ukraine in a win-win partnership," the European official said.
At the same time, Séjourné noted:
"The added value Europe offers is that we will never demand a deal that's not mutually beneficial."
The details of the European agreement are not yet known.
Earlier, the President of the European Council, António Costa, assured that EU member states would not demand any minerals from Ukraine in exchange for providing it with assistance.
"Over the past three years, the European Union has been a major donor to support Ukraine, and we are doing this for Ukraine, for Ukrainians, and for European security, and we are not taking back any of the natural resources in Ukraine," Costa emphasized.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has already announced the signing of a US-Ukrainian agreement on minerals. To do this, he will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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In response, Zelensky stated that Ukraine was prepared to reach an agreement with the United States on supplying rare earth resources. However, he emphasized that he did not intend to "give away" these resources, instead proposing a mutually beneficial partnership.
The head of state also mentioned that Ukraine was open to American investment in extracting its rare earth minerals in exchange for US assistance. He noted that he had already discussed this with US President Donald Trump in September 2024 and included it as a key point in his Victory Plan.
On February 15, reports emerged that the Trump Administration proposed Ukraine transfer 50% ownership of its rare earth minerals to the United States. However, President Volodymyr Zelensky declined to sign the proposed agreement.
Later, it was reported that the US President's administration, according to media reports, may try to conclude a simplified agreement on minerals with Ukraine to speed up the process and then discuss the detailed conditions.
On February 24, Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna announced that the agreement on minerals is nearly finalized, with plans to sign it in Washington.
It is noteworthy that Rubryka has discussed Ukraine's rare earth elements, lithium reserves, and other mineral resources, highlighting their significance and why they have gained attention during the war.
Zelensky urges swift and careful work on US agreements regarding rare earths and security guarantees
US-Ukraine rare earths deal terms worse than Germany's post-war reparations – The Telegraph
