During an interview for Reuters On Friday (7), the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, examined a map that was already secret containing large rare land deposits and other critical minerals, to try to convince US President Donald Trump to make an agreement .
The Republican, whose government pressures for a rapid end of the Ukraine war with Russia, said on Monday that Ukrainians should provide rare land and other minerals to the US in exchange for financial support for war.
“If we are talking about an agreement, let’s make an agreement, we are in his favor,” Zelensky said, emphasizing the need for Ukraine to have security guarantees of his allies as part of any treatment.
Read more:
Last year, Ukraine ventilated the idea of opening its critical minerals to the investment of allies by presenting the “Victory Plan” that seeks to situate the country in a stronger position in negotiations and would force Russia to sit at the table.
Zelensky stated that less than 20% of Ukraine’s mineral resources – and half of his rare land deposits – are in land occupied by Russia.
Continues after advertising
Rare lands are important for the manufacture of high performance magnets, electric motors and consumer electronics. Zelensky warned that Moscow can release such resources to North Korea and Iran, US declared enemies.
“We need to stop Putin and protect what we have: a very rich Dnipro region in the center of Ukraine,” he said.
Russian troops have been gaining ground in the east of the country for months, investing huge resources in a relentless offensive. Meanwhile, the much smaller army of Kiev fights the scarcity of soldiers and cares about future arms supplies from abroad.
Continues after advertising
Zelensky unfolded on a table a map in the presidential office in Kiev, showing several mineral deposits, including a wide range of land in the east marked as containing rare lands. About half seemed to be on Russia’s side on the current front lines.
He stated that Ukraine has the largest titanium reserves in Europe, an essential component for the aviation and space industry, and in uranium, used for nuclear energy and weapons.
Many of the titanium deposits were marked as present in the northwest of Ukraine, a distant region of the conflicts.
Continues after advertising
Ukraine quickly readjusted its foreign policy approach to align with Trump’s transactional view, with the US being the most important allies of the Ukrainians.
Zelensky stressed, however, that he was not proposing to “donate” resources, but offer them in a mutually beneficial partnership to develop them together:
“Americans have helped more and therefore should earn more. And they must have this priority, and they will have. I would also like to talk about it with President Trump, ”he said.
Continues after advertising
He stated that Russia knows where Ukraine’s mineral resources are because of the geological research of the Soviet era, which were taken back to Moscow when Kiev won independence in 1991.
Zelensky also said that Kiev and the White House are discussing the idea of using the vast underground gas storage capacity of Ukraine to store US liquefied natural gas.
“I know the Trump government is very interested in it. We are ready and willing to have contracts to supply LNG to Ukraine. And of course we will be a hub for all of Europe, ”he said.
Continues after advertising
Zelensky said he intends to attend the Munich Security Conference from February 14 to 16, when officials from dozens of western countries will meet during an unpredictable time of the conflict, which has lasted three years. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Russia and Ukraine, should also attend.
The Ukrainian leader said a meeting with Trump was crucial before the US president gather with his Russian colleague Vladimir Putin, “otherwise, it will look like a conversation about Ukraine without Ukraine to be part of it.”
