Ukraine Secures Minerals Deal with US to Boost Strategic Resources

Ukraine has reached an agreement with the US on mineral resource cooperation, strengthening its access to critical materials. Read more on the deal.

The United States and Ukraine have reached an agreement on a significant minerals deal that Kyiv hopes will strengthen its relationship with President Donald Trump’s administration.

Ukraine announced its readiness to sign the agreement for joint development of its mineral resources after the US withdrew its demand for rights to $500 billion in potential revenue from the deal.

Kyiv is also optimistic that the agreement’s signing will secure the ongoing provision of crucial US military support for Ukraine.

According to media reports, Washington has not yet provided solid security assurances to the country. A Ukrainian official mentioned that this topic would be on the agenda when the two presidents meet for discussions.

Trump stated that he anticipates his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, will be in Washington later this week to sign the deal.

Ukraine possesses deposits of essential elements and minerals, such as lithium and titanium. These materials are crucial for manufacturing high-tech products, consumer electronics, artificial intelligence infrastructure, and weaponry.

Research by the European Commission indicates that prior to the outbreak of war with Russia, Ukraine was a major supplier of titanium, accounting for approximately 7 percent of global production in 2019.

It also contains substantial deposits of coal, gas, oil, and uranium.

Progress in negotiating the deal follows a heated exchange of rhetoric between Trump and Zelenskyy last week regarding their differences on the issue.

The deal was first proposed by Zelenskyy last year as part of his strategy to bolster Kyiv’s position in future negotiations with Moscow.

Trump, whose administration bypassed Ukraine to engage directly with the Russian side in an attempt to resolve the three-year conflict, has long shown interest in Ukraine’s rare earth deposits.

He has also criticized the administration of former President Joe Biden for offering excessive aid to Ukraine without receiving anything in return.