In an interview with Fox News, Donald Trump stated that he has practically agreed with Kyiv that as payment for military assistance, Ukraine will provide the US with rare earth metals worth $500 billion.
«They have extremely valuable land in terms of rare earth [metals], in terms of oil and gas, in terms of other things. I want our money to be safe because we are spending hundreds of billions of dollars [in Ukraine]», — Trump told Fox News. At the same time, Trump insists that the US should have access to Ukraine's natural resources regardless of whether a successful peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine is reached, claiming that the «more than $300 billion» the US has provided to Ukraine overshadows the contributions of other countries to the military actions.
«They can make a deal, they can not make a deal. One day they may become Russia or may not become Russia, but our money is there, and I want it back. I already told them that I want the equivalent in rare earth metals worth about $500 billion. And they have essentially already agreed to this, so at least we don't feel like fools», — Trump stated, adding that continuing to provide assistance to Ukraine for nothing would be «foolish».
However, as noted by The Insaider*, over the weekend Trump mentioned an amount 1000 times less — $500 million.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly mentioned a mutual resource agreement with the US in exchange for security guarantees within the framework of a peaceful settlement, moreover, his wording was much more restrained than Trump's statements. «If we are talking about a deal, then let's make a deal, we are all for it,» Zelensky told Reuters. — «We need to stop Putin and protect what we have».
About 5% of the world's mineral resources are concentrated in Ukraine, with rich deposits of titanium, uranium, iron, manganese, and lithium, as well as rare earth metals, which are considered vital for US national security.
* Recognized in Russia as a «foreign agent» and «undesirable» organization.
Photo: The New York Times