Today at 00:59
The Trump administration has suggested to Ukraine that the United States be granted 50% ownership of the country’s rare earth minerals, and signaled an openness to deploying American troops there to guard them if there is a deal with Russia to end the war.
That’s according to NBC News, citing U.S. officials, Ukrinform reports.
Rather than pay for the minerals, the ownership agreement would be a way for Ukraine to reimburse the U.S. for the billions of dollars in weapons and support it has provided to Kyiv since the war began in February 2022, two of the officials said.
Many of Ukraine’s minerals are in areas now controlled by Russian troops, U.S. officials said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he proposed to U.S. President Donald Trump the idea of the U.S. gaining access to Ukrainian rare earth minerals in exchange for security and financial incentives.
On February 12, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant made a visit to Kyiv during which he proposed the draft of a partnership agreement, including the development of Ukrainian minerals.
