Trump Urges Trading Ukraine’s Rare Earth Minerals for More U.S. Aid

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Ukraine has already emphasized that by supporting its war effort, the U.S. could get access to the country’s wealth of critical minerals like lithium and uranium.

President Trump said Monday he wants to strike a deal with Ukraine whereby Kyiv would supply the United States with rare earth minerals in exchange for American aid, offering the clearest sign yet of his transactional approach to supporting the war-torn nation.
“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,” Mr. Trump said from the Oval Office, where he was signing executive orders. “We want a guarantee.”
Ukraine is rich in rare earth minerals such as lithium, uranium and titanium, which are crucial for manufacturing a broad range of modern products including electric car motors and wind turbines.
Mr. Trump’s offer comes as his new government has halted foreign development aid worldwide, forcing many humanitarian organizations in Ukraine to suspend operations and leaving the Ukrainian government scrambling to secure alternative financing for critical programs, including support for its battered energy grid and war veterans.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said U.S. military assistance provided by the Biden administration had not been affected by the recent freeze on foreign aid. But Mr. Trump has long voiced reluctance to continue sending billions of dollars in weapons and other equipment to the beleaguered nation, arguing that it costs the U.S. too much.
In many ways, Mr. Trump’s offer to trade aid for rare earth minerals aligns with the transactional foreign policy strategy he has pursued since returning to office. He has been leveraging the U.S.’s economic power to pressure allies, including Colombia and Mexico, into agreeing to, or at least negotiating on, his demands.