Scholz of Germany Criticizes Trump's Demand for Ukraine Minerals
The chancellor has emphasized the importance of providing support to Kiev at no cost amid its ongoing conflict with Russia. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Kiev should receive assistance without conditions during the conflict with Russia, according to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Scholz has taken US President Donald Trump to task over his assertion that Ukraine should provide access to its rare-earth minerals in exchange for continued military support amid the ongoing hostilities with Russia.
Last week, Trump remarked that the US is “putting in hundreds of billions of dollars” into Ukraine, which possesses “great rare earths.” He added, “And I want security of the rare earth, and they are willing to do [that].”
On Friday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky expressed his willingness to negotiate regarding Ukraine's deposits of lithium, titanium, and other heavy metals. “If we are talking about a deal, then let us do a deal, we are only for it,” he stated. However, he conceded that approximately half of the rare earths claimed by Kiev are in regions controlled by Russia.
When questioned about Trump’s requirement for Ukrainian rare earths in a recent interview with RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, Scholz asserted that “Ukraine is under attack and we stand by it without being paid for this. That should be everyone’s attitude.”
Since the escalation of the conflict with Moscow in February 2022, Berlin has been one of Kiev’s foremost supporters, supplying the Zelensky administration with approximately €16.8 billion in military equipment, direct financial assistance, and humanitarian aid.
Deutsche Welle reported last month that Germany's defense sector has experienced substantial growth during the ongoing fighting between Moscow and Kiev, with stocks of the nation's arms manufacturers soaring by as much as 800% over the past three years. Rheinmetall AG, the maker of Leopard 2 tanks, announced in November that its earnings had jumped over a third to €2.45 billion in the third quarter of 2024. Additionally, the company's order backlog rose by 41% to €51.9 billion during the same period.
In other remarks, Scholz dismissed Trump’s ambitions to annex Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a member of both the EU and NATO. Trump has claimed that integrating the world's largest island into US territory is necessary for security.
Scholz emphasized, “We support Ukraine because Russian President [Vladimir Putin] has violated an important principle of the European peace order with his war of aggression: borders must not be moved by force. This principle must apply to each and every one.”
Moreover, Scholz criticized other policies put forward by Trump, labeling his suggestion to relocate the population of Gaza to neighboring Egypt and Jordan as “unacceptable.” He also cautioned that the European Commission would “react within hours” if Trump proceeds with his threat to impose tariffs on the EU.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
Scholz has taken US President Donald Trump to task over his assertion that Ukraine should provide access to its rare-earth minerals in exchange for continued military support amid the ongoing hostilities with Russia.
Last week, Trump remarked that the US is “putting in hundreds of billions of dollars” into Ukraine, which possesses “great rare earths.” He added, “And I want security of the rare earth, and they are willing to do [that].”
On Friday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky expressed his willingness to negotiate regarding Ukraine's deposits of lithium, titanium, and other heavy metals. “If we are talking about a deal, then let us do a deal, we are only for it,” he stated. However, he conceded that approximately half of the rare earths claimed by Kiev are in regions controlled by Russia.
When questioned about Trump’s requirement for Ukrainian rare earths in a recent interview with RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, Scholz asserted that “Ukraine is under attack and we stand by it without being paid for this. That should be everyone’s attitude.”
Since the escalation of the conflict with Moscow in February 2022, Berlin has been one of Kiev’s foremost supporters, supplying the Zelensky administration with approximately €16.8 billion in military equipment, direct financial assistance, and humanitarian aid.
Deutsche Welle reported last month that Germany's defense sector has experienced substantial growth during the ongoing fighting between Moscow and Kiev, with stocks of the nation's arms manufacturers soaring by as much as 800% over the past three years. Rheinmetall AG, the maker of Leopard 2 tanks, announced in November that its earnings had jumped over a third to €2.45 billion in the third quarter of 2024. Additionally, the company's order backlog rose by 41% to €51.9 billion during the same period.
In other remarks, Scholz dismissed Trump’s ambitions to annex Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a member of both the EU and NATO. Trump has claimed that integrating the world's largest island into US territory is necessary for security.
Scholz emphasized, “We support Ukraine because Russian President [Vladimir Putin] has violated an important principle of the European peace order with his war of aggression: borders must not be moved by force. This principle must apply to each and every one.”
Moreover, Scholz criticized other policies put forward by Trump, labeling his suggestion to relocate the population of Gaza to neighboring Egypt and Jordan as “unacceptable.” He also cautioned that the European Commission would “react within hours” if Trump proceeds with his threat to impose tariffs on the EU.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
