U.S. President Donald Trump speaks, as he indicators an govt order within the Oval Workplace, on the White Home in Washington, D.C., U.S. Feb. 14, 2025.
Nathan Howard | Reuters
The Trump administration has prompt to Ukraine that america be granted 50% possession of the nation’s uncommon earth minerals, and signaled an openness to deploying American troops there to protect them if there is a cope with Russia to finish the conflict, in accordance with 4 U.S. officers.
Somewhat than pay for the minerals, the possession settlement could be a manner for Ukraine to reimburse the U.S. for the billions of {dollars} in weapons and help its offered to Kyiv for the reason that conflict started in February 2022, two of the officers stated.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent introduced the proposal for the U.S. to personal half of Ukraine’s uncommon earth minerals to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a draft contract he delivered to their assembly on Wednesday in Kyiv, in accordance with eight U.S. officers briefed on the assembly.
After that assembly, Bessent stated the draft of a U.S.-Ukraine uncommon earth minerals settlement mirrored the president’s aim, however he didn’t present particulars of what the administration had proposed.
Zelenskyy declined to signal the doc when Bessent introduced it throughout their assembly, saying he wanted to review it and seek the advice of others about it, the eight U.S. officers briefed on the assembly stated.
The Ukrainian chief stated on the time that he and his staff “will do the whole lot to evaluation all particulars of the doc” earlier than his arrival in Munich, the place he met Friday with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in addition to U.S. lawmakers on the sidelines of a worldwide safety convention.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Washington and a spokesperson for the White Home Nationwide Safety Council didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark Friday.
Zelenskyy stated throughout his speech Friday on the safety convention that his legal professionals would weigh in on the doc Bessent introduced to him in Kyiv with recommendation and a few modifications. He referred to the proposal as memorandum between the U.S. and Ukraine, not a safety settlement.
President Donald Trump in current months has expressed curiosity in putting a cope with Ukraine that may grant the U.S. important entry to its uncommon earth minerals, that are used to make a wide range of expertise merchandise.
In a current interview with Fox Information, Trump stated he needs the U.S. to get $500 billion value of Ukraine’s uncommon earth minerals, and signaled Kyiv had “primarily agreed to take action.”
“In all of the troublesome conditions, you may have an opportunity. However we could have low likelihood — low likelihood to outlive with out help of america. I believe it is essential, essential,” Zelenskyy stated.
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth stated this week that U.S. troops wouldn’t be deployed to Ukraine as a part of any safety ensures for the nation. The Wall Road Journal reported Friday that Vance stated in an interview with the newspaper that the U.S. sending troops to Ukraine is “on the desk” if Russia doesn’t negotiate a peace settlement in good religion.
Trump has lengthy bristled on the quantity of American help for Ukraine, referring to Zelenskyy at a previous marketing campaign occasion as “the best salesman of all time.”
“Each time Zelenskyy involves america, he walks away with $100 billion,” Trump stated in September. “I believe he is the best salesman on Earth. However we’re caught in that conflict until I am president.”
