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(TJV) Ukraine is in the final stages of negotiating a deal that would grant the United States access to its vast mineral resources, a move that comes amid pressure from former President Donald Trump, CBS reported.
Ukrainian officials hope the agreement will serve as the foundation for long-term security guarantees against future Russian aggression, but the Trump administration has not committed to such guarantees, instead portraying U.S. access to the resources as a way for Ukraine to repay Washington for its support over the past three years.
CBS News reports that Ukrainian Vice President for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olga Stefanishyna, confirmed the progress of negotiations in a Monday social media post, stating that nearly all key details have been finalized. “The negotiations have been very constructive,” Stefanishyna wrote, adding that Ukraine is committed to finalizing the agreement quickly. She also expressed hope that leaders from both countries would sign the deal in Washington soon, demonstrating their long-term commitment.
Ukraine’s Vast Mineral Reserves and Russian Occupation
As CBS News highlights, Ukraine is among Europe’s most resource-rich nations, but much of its mineral wealth remains untapped due to aging infrastructure, lack of investment, and the ongoing war with Russia. The country, often called Europe’s “breadbasket” for its agricultural output, also holds significant reserves of rare earth elements, titanium, lithium, and graphite—key materials used in defense, aerospace, technology, and energy production.
CBS News reports that roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, including parts of the eastern Donbas region and Crimea, remains under Russian control. These occupied areas contain a large share of Ukraine’s mineral resources, including rare earth elements critical for modern technology and defense industries. According to the Institute for the Study of War, about half of Ukraine’s rare earth reserves are in Russian-occupied areas.
Ukraine is believed to hold approximately 5% of the world’s total rare earth element reserves, compared to just 1-2% in the United States, which covers a significantly larger landmass. Additionally, Ukraine has one of Europe’s largest titanium reserves, used in aerospace and military applications, as well as vast lithium deposits needed for rechargeable batteries and about 20% of the world’s graphite supply.
Strategic and Political Implications of the Deal
At a White House press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump described U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals as a matter of security and economic interest, CBS News reports. “We must have an agreement with Ukraine on critical minerals and rare earths,” Trump said, adding that progress had been made. Macron called the potential deal an important economic opportunity for both nations.
According to CBS News, Trump has framed the agreement as a way for Ukraine to “pay back” the United States for military assistance provided since the war began. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been cautious, reportedly refusing to sign an earlier version of the deal that would have given the U.S. access to an estimated $500 billion worth of Ukrainian mineral wealth. “I won’t sign a document that ten generations of Ukrainians will pay for,” Zelenskyy stated over the weekend. He has insisted that any agreement granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral reserves must come with security guarantees, including the possibility of U.S. military forces being deployed to protect American investments.
Andrii Yermak, Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, told CBS News that Ukraine is considering investment opportunities with both the U.S. and European countries. “Mineral development is a very important element that can work within the broader structure of security and military guarantees,” Yermak said.
Trump has claimed that the U.S. has provided Ukraine with $350 billion in assistance since the war began, but CBS News, citing data from the U.S. interagency watchdog group Ukraine Oversight, reports that the actual amount is closer to $183 billion, with roughly one-third of that being spent domestically in the U.S. to manufacture weapons and military equipment for Ukraine.
According to CBS News, Trump has suggested he could meet with Zelenskyy at the White House within the next two weeks to finalize the mineral agreement.
