President Donald Trump of the US is demanding the rare minerals found in Ukrainian territories in exchange for the billions of dollars in aid provided by the US so far. According to reports in the Ukrainian media and officials, an agreement has been reached between the parties. President Donald Trump announced that Ukrainian Leader Zelensky will be visiting the White House this coming Friday. The agreement is expected to be signed during this visit.

It was claimed that an agreement has been reached regarding the valuable minerals that the US is seeking as a counterpart to its aid to Ukraine. An unnamed senior Ukrainian official stated that Ukraine has reached an agreement with the US on valuable minerals, including natural gas and oil, and it is anticipated that the Ukrainian Cabinet will recommend the signing of the agreement to the parliament.

President Donald Trump announced that Ukrainian Leader Volodimir Zelensky will be visiting the White House this coming Friday. The agreement is expected to be signed during this visit.

The unnamed senior Ukrainian official mentioned that Ukraine and the US have established a joint fund where 50% of the income Ukraine will achieve from mineral, oil, and gas extraction in the future will be transferred. They stated, “Government officials are currently working on the details. We are considering a visit to Washington DC this Friday to sign the agreement.” The source stated that the security aspect is not included in the draft of the agreement, but there is a general clause indicating that the US will invest in a stable and prosperous sovereign Ukraine, work towards a lasting peace, and support efforts to secure US security. The source also mentioned that the US has removed clauses from the agreement draft that could be detrimental to Ukraine, including the provision to provide resources worth $500 billion.

Olha Stefanishyna, the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister, who led the negotiations for the Ukrainian delegation, stated, “The mineral agreement is just a part of the bigger picture. We have heard this from the US administration multiple times.” It was indicated that the agreement between Ukraine and the US is merely a framework agreement, and income transfer will not take place until the fund is established.

WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT

White House Spokesperson Leavitt made remarks about the valuable minerals agreement expected to be signed between the US and Ukraine in a press briefing. Leavitt explained that the current US administration prioritizes this agreement, noting that President Trump’s Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff postponed his Middle East trip to focus on this matter. The spokesperson stated that the agreement will benefit both the US and Ukraine. Leavitt remarked, “Signing this agreement is critical. President Trump is expecting Zelensky to sign it. This agreement will compensate American taxes that finance Ukraine’s defense and will establish a lasting economic partnership with Ukraine, which has been enduring hell due to the war.” Leavitt expressed that President Trump is determined to witness the end of the Russia-Ukraine war, wanting to see bloodshed and deaths stop. He inherited this chaos due to the incompetence of the previous administration, and he is decisive in fixing it. He is determined to reach a peace agreement in Russia and Ukraine, as well as in the Middle East.

CHINA DOMINATES RARE ELEMENTS Trump has stated his desire for rare earth elements worth $500 billion, especially for use in high-power magnets, although reports suggest that Ukraine may possess mineral reserves worth $10 trillion. Nevertheless, it is not believed that Ukraine has such extensive rare earth reserves. While Ukraine has commercial minerals such as titanium and gallium, it is not expected that these minerals hold the economic value Trump envisioned. The majority of the global rare earth processing is still controlled by China, with most countries having to send the rare earths they extract to China for refinement.

UKRAINE’S RARE MINERALS

The European Commission identifies Ukraine as a potential supplier for over 20 critical raw materials. It is estimated that Kiev has around 117 types of widely used minerals. However, Ukraine cannot benefit from all of them due to war, infrastructure issues, and the country’s mineral policies. Data shows that approximately 5% of the world’s mineral reserves are in Ukraine, including rare earth elements. According to the Turkey Ministry of Trade data, Ukraine is among the world’s most significant mineral-producing countries. Ukraine is estimated to have over 25 million tons of iron, nearly 3 million tons of manganese ore, and a reserve of 1.5 billion tons of chalk and limestone. Ukraine also possesses resources such as copper, zinc, and silver.

LEADERSHIP IN LITHIUM Ukraine has significant ore in critical minerals such as lithium, titanium, uranium, graphite, gallium, nickel, and beryllium, yet a significant portion remains unutilized. Lithium can be used in various industries such as batteries, electric vehicles, glass, ceramics, and pharmaceuticals. Ukraine ranks high in lithium reserves in Europe. According to “UkraineInvest” data, the country ranks sixth in titanium, eighth in manganese, and tenth in iron and uranium reserves worldwide. According to NATO data, Ukraine owns 7% of the world’s titanium reserves and is at the forefront in titanium resources in Europe. In 2022, Ukraine earned over 155 million dollars from titanium exports. Titanium, known for its durability, is used in industries such as aerospace, healthcare, maritime, and automotive. Uranium, another important resource in which Ukraine has substantial reserves, is crucial for nuclear energy, space research, and maritime industries.

HISTORIC STATEMENT FROM PUTIN: RUSSIA OPENS ITS LAND TO THE US Putin stated that Russia has significantly more reserves than Ukraine when it comes to rare elements. In a historic statement, the Russian leader expressed, “We are ready to work with any foreign partner, including Americans.”

According to the US Geological Survey data, Russia ranks fifth in the world in terms of rare earth metals reserves, following China, Brazil, India, and Australia.