President Donald Trump increased pressure on Ukraine to reach a deal with the US that would feature an exchange of rare earth metals for military support during a recent interview with FOX News.
President Trump complained the US was providing an outsized amount of aid to Ukraine compared to other European countries and NATO allies.
According to the Kiel Institute, the US has granted Ukraine nearly 75% of the total financial support European nations have. To date, the US has granted over $75 billion in military and financial aid to Ukraine.
Trump recently presented the idea of brokering a deal whereby Ukraine would grant the US exclusive access to rare earth metal exports in exchange for continued military support.
During the recent FOX interview, Trump doubled down on the idea, stating that Ukraine has “tremendously valuable land in terms of rare earth, in terms of oil and gas and other things.”
“They may make a deal they may not make a deal, they may be Russian some day or they may not be Russian some day,” warned Trump. “We have sent them a lot of money and I want it back, and I told them I want the equivalent of $500 billion dollars in rare earth and they’ve essentially agreed to that.”
Rare earth minerals are crucial for the manufacturing of myriad technological devices ranging from computer chips to cell phones to electronic vehicles.
Trump’s proposal to Ukraine imply he may be considering a continuation of the Russia-Ukraine war, a conflict he previously alleged he wanted to see quickly end.
Trump had recently signaled a willingness to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, threatening stiff sanctions if Russia resists.
While claiming he intends to negotiate in good faith to not “hurt Russia…whose Economy is failing,” Trump concomitantly warned the war’s continuation would leave him “no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia.”
The Kremlin responded that they are open to negotiating an end to the war, but Trump’s prospective rare earth mineral deal with Ukraine could winnow the US’ desire in pressuring both Ukraine and Russia to cease fighting.
