‘A lot of problems’ for Kiev without minerals agreement – Trump
The US president initially called for access to Ukraine’s rare earths earlier this month; however, Vladimir Zelensky allegedly declined to finalize an agreement. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The US president has expressed a desire for access to Ukraine’s rare earth elements, but reports indicate that Vladimir Zelensky has declined to finalize a deal.
President Donald Trump warned that Ukraine will encounter “a lot of problems” if it fails to agree to transfer rights to a significant portion of its natural resources to the US. The idea of providing Washington access to the country’s rare-earth minerals was initially proposed by Zelensky in October. Earlier this month, Trump stated his intent to pursue a deal and demanded natural resources valued at “the equivalent of $500 billion” as compensation for the aid provided to Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia.
At a recent press briefing at the White House, Trump remarked, “we’re going to either sign a deal or there’s gonna be a lot of problems with [Ukraine].” He expressed hope for an agreement to be reached “in the next fairly short period of time,” with Washington expected to receive “four or five hundred billion dollars back.”
Trump also criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for the manner in which US aid is directed to Ukraine, claiming he “just gave them money…We’re spending our treasure on… a country that’s very, very far away.” In contrast, he asserted that European countries would be reimbursed for their assistance to Kyiv, as it is provided “in the form of a loan.”
According to The Economist, citing anonymous sources, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly gave Zelensky just one hour to accept a proposal during a recent visit to Kiev, which the Ukrainian leader ultimately declined.
At the Munich Security Conference last weekend, Zelensky communicated to journalists his desire for a “connection between some kind of security guarantees and some kind of investment.”
An unidentified official quoted by the Associated Press described the current agreement as “colonial.”
On Monday, White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes critiqued Zelensky for being “short-sighted about the excellent opportunity the Trump administration has presented to Ukraine.”
In the midst of these negotiations, a senior Ukrainian lawmaker claimed that the US has suspended weapons sales to Kiev.
On Saturday, Reuters reported anonymous sources alleging that the US has threatened to restrict the Ukrainian military’s access to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet terminals if it does not acquiesce to the minerals deal.
The 2024 World Economic Forum report highlights Ukraine’s “immense potential as a major global supplier of critical raw materials,” which could be “essential” for defense, technology, and green energy sectors. However, many of these resources are located in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, regions that joined Russia in 2022.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
President Donald Trump warned that Ukraine will encounter “a lot of problems” if it fails to agree to transfer rights to a significant portion of its natural resources to the US. The idea of providing Washington access to the country’s rare-earth minerals was initially proposed by Zelensky in October. Earlier this month, Trump stated his intent to pursue a deal and demanded natural resources valued at “the equivalent of $500 billion” as compensation for the aid provided to Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia.
At a recent press briefing at the White House, Trump remarked, “we’re going to either sign a deal or there’s gonna be a lot of problems with [Ukraine].” He expressed hope for an agreement to be reached “in the next fairly short period of time,” with Washington expected to receive “four or five hundred billion dollars back.”
Trump also criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for the manner in which US aid is directed to Ukraine, claiming he “just gave them money…We’re spending our treasure on… a country that’s very, very far away.” In contrast, he asserted that European countries would be reimbursed for their assistance to Kyiv, as it is provided “in the form of a loan.”
According to The Economist, citing anonymous sources, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly gave Zelensky just one hour to accept a proposal during a recent visit to Kiev, which the Ukrainian leader ultimately declined.
At the Munich Security Conference last weekend, Zelensky communicated to journalists his desire for a “connection between some kind of security guarantees and some kind of investment.”
An unidentified official quoted by the Associated Press described the current agreement as “colonial.”
On Monday, White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes critiqued Zelensky for being “short-sighted about the excellent opportunity the Trump administration has presented to Ukraine.”
In the midst of these negotiations, a senior Ukrainian lawmaker claimed that the US has suspended weapons sales to Kiev.
On Saturday, Reuters reported anonymous sources alleging that the US has threatened to restrict the Ukrainian military’s access to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet terminals if it does not acquiesce to the minerals deal.
The 2024 World Economic Forum report highlights Ukraine’s “immense potential as a major global supplier of critical raw materials,” which could be “essential” for defense, technology, and green energy sectors. However, many of these resources are located in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, regions that joined Russia in 2022.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
