Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview on Friday that he was interested in President Trump’s proposal for a deal that would involve the US getting access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in exchange for continued military aid.
“If we are talking about a deal, then let’s do a deal, we are only for it,” Zelensky told Reuters. The Ukrainian leader insisted the deal wouldn’t involve “giving away” Ukraine’s resources but framed it as a partnership.
“The Americans helped the most, and therefore, the Americans should earn the most. And they should have this priority, and they will. I would also like to talk about this with President Trump,” he said.
When Trump made the comments about a rare earth deal, he said he wanted a “guarantee” that the US would have access to the minerals because the US was giving Ukraine money “hand over fist.”
While Trump still says he wants to end the war in Ukraine, the idea of a deal for continued US military aid suggests he thinks the US will continue supplying weapons, something Russia would likely not accept as part of a potential future peace deal.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), one of the most fervent supporters of the proxy war in Ukraine, has frequently brought up Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as a reason to continue fueling the conflict.
“This war is about money. People don’t talk much about it. But you know, the richest country in all of Europe for rare earth minerals is Ukraine. Two to seven trillion dollars’ worth of minerals that are rare earth minerals, very relevant to the 21st century,” Graham said in November. “Ukraine’s ready to do a deal with us, not the Russians. So it’s in our interest to make sure that Russia doesn’t take over the place.”
