On April 1, Ukraine announced that he had received a proposal at the hands of the Trump administration through which the country would give control of part of the revenue of its rare earth to the United States in exchange for the White House to commit to support Ukraine if the war with continuous Russia.
However, although both parties had “started consultations”, no agreement has yet been signed, that some have already cataloged as a trapas is the case of economist and politic . “It’s a trap. Point,” he emphasizes. Dr. Teona Lavrelashvili, a visiting researcher at the Wilfried Martens Center for European Studies, who states that the credibility of Ukraine “could weaken” before Brussels if he finally signs the agreement finally, finally, finally believes.
“It is more an extortion than a significant investment”emphasizes Olga Pindyuk, economist from the Institute of Economic Studies of Vienna, to the Kyiv Independent, Who points out that Ukraine would only have benefits of its resources once the United States recovered the money invested to help them (about 100,000 million dollars, plus interest of 4%).
One of the reasons why there are so many critical voices in this regard is that the new draft presented by the United States collects a clause that prohibits the country of Zelenski selling mineral resources to competitors from the United States, which would harm the EU, says Pindyuk. This would go against the memorandum signed with the EU, through which Ukraine compromised in 2021 to a loyal competition and mutual benefit between Ukrainian and European companies on these critical materials.
“By giving American companies preferential access to the mineral wealth of Ukraine, the United States agreement can avoid the spirit of (EU memorandum),” explains Lavrelasvili. “The concern in Brussels is that privileging a foreign partner on others contradicts Ukraine’s obligations as a candidate,” he adds.
It should be noted that rare earth and critical minerals, such as lithium, cobalt, graphite and nickel, result fundamental in the production of a large range of technological products, From semiconductors for the defense sector to solar panels.
