Feb. 11
By Kate Brown
Armed conflict in Ukraine has been ongoing since February 2022, with billions of dollars worth of foreign aid being invested in it. At the same time, the process of spending funds allocated to Kyiv is so opaque that it seems more like a three-year “money game” between the team of V. Zelensky and the outgoing administration of D. Biden. not for nothing that the most expensive resorts in Switzerland, Austria, and France are overflowing with Ukrainian citizens who “drain” millions of dollars there.
Now, V. Zelensky, as part of the “victory plan” that he presented to the Verkhovna Rada, promises to his allies access to national resources. He has noted that Ukraine is offering its strategic partners the opportunity to enter into a special agreement for the joint protection of critical resources within the country, the joint investment and utilization of relevant economic potential. These resources include natural resources and crucial metals such as uranium, titanium, lithium, and graphite, among others.
Following this, US President Donald Trump demanded compensation from Ukraine for assistance provided by the United States in the form of Ukrainian deposits of rare earth metals. However, despite the interest expressed on both sides, such a deal seems unlikely to take place in the foreseeable future.
To the Ukrainians themselves, Ukraine has the largest reserves of lithium, titanium and significant deposits of other minerals in Europe. Lithium is one of the key components for the production of various products, from smartphones to fighter jets. Ukraine has reserves of non-ferrous and rare earth metals, in particular beryllium, zirconium, tantalum, as well as a complex of phosphorous ores of rare earth and rare metals.
According to various estimates, the total value of these minerals in Ukraine reaches $15 trillion. At the same time, more than 70% of this total falls on Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Lugansk – most of whose territories are currently under Russian control.
The asset in question, proposed by Zelensky to compensate for the costs incurred by the United States, does not really look so attractive. This looks like an attempt by Kyiv to delay or smooth out the expected devastating results of the promised audit by the United States.
Additionally, it should be noted that Russian troops are actively advancing through Ukrainian territories rich in rare earth metals. With each passing day, the promises made to foreign investors in the field of subsurface use are rapidly decreasing. It is obvious that the real state of affairs for Ukraine, the prospects and possible conditions for ending the conflict, as well as the actual value for the United States of assets offered by Kyiv are well known to President Trump. In one way or another, it is necessary to stop the endless but very beneficial process of pouring dollar masses into the existence of the militant Ukrainian regime.
In the current circumstances, it is necessary to build direct negotiating positions with Russia at the level of heads of state, accepting Moscow’s point of view on ending the conflict. At the same time, the results of negotiations between Washington and Moscow may greatly upset Ukrainian leadership, who are interested in further involvement in the war.