The Trump administration has suggested to Ukraine to give the United States 50 % ownership of rare ground minerals in the country, and indicates openness to Publishing American forces There is to guard them if there is a deal with Russia to end the war, according to four US officials.
Instead of paying the costs of minerals, the ownership agreement will be a way for Ukraine to pay the United States for billions of dollars in weapons and support it to Kyiv Since the war began in February 2022Two officials said.
Treasury Secretary, Scott Payette, presented the United States’ proposal to possess half of the rare land minerals in Ukraine to President Volodimir Zellinski in a draft held that he brought to their meeting on Wednesday in Kiev, according to eight US officials at the meeting.
After that meeting, Bessent said that the draft of the rare American terrestrial mineral agreement reflected the president’s goal, but he did not provide details about what the administration proposed.
The eight US officials at the meeting said that Zelinski refused to sign the document when Besent presented it during their meeting, saying he needed to study it and consult with others on this topic.
The Ukrainian leader said at the time that he and his team “will do everything to review all the details of the document” before his arrival in Munich, where he met Friday with Vice President JD Vance and Foreign Minister Marco Rubio as well as American legislators on the sidelines of the World Security Conference.
The Ukrainian embassy in Washington and a spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House immediately did not respond to the requests for comment on Friday.
Zelinski said during his speech on Friday at the security conference that his lawyer will affect the document he presented to him in KyIV, advice and some changes. He pointed to the proposal as a note between the United States and Ukraine, not a security agreement.
In recent months, President Donald Trump has expressed interest in distributing a deal with Ukraine that would give the United States a large up to rare ground minerals, which are used to make a variety of technological products.
In a conversation interview With Fox News, Trump said he wanted the United States to get $ 500 billion of rare land minerals in Ukraine, and indicated that Kiev “mainly agreed to do so.”
Trump told reporters at the Oval Office this month that he would consider access to minerals as a form of “security”.
“I want to get rare land security. We are putting hundreds of billions of dollars. Trump said:” They have a rare rare land, and I want the rare land security, and they are ready to do so. “
Three US officials said that many Ukraine minerals are now in areas that are now controlled by Russian forces.
Ukrainian officials have long supported the idea of exchanging “critical resources” for the continuation of American support, describing the idea as part of the “victory plan” he presented to Trump during a meeting last fall.
In an exclusive interview on Friday at the Munich Security Conference, Zelinski News told “Meet” Kristeen Welker that it would be “very difficult” for Ukraine to survive without US military support.
“In all difficult situations, you have a chance. But we will have a low chance – a low opportunity to survive without support from the United States. I think it is very important, embarrassed,” said Zellinski.
Defense Minister Beit Higseth said this week that the American forces will not be deployed in Ukraine as part of any security guarantees for the country. Wall Street Magazine I mentioned Friday This Vans said in an interview with the newspaper that the United States, which sends the forces to Ukraine, is “on the table” if Russia does not negotiate a peace agreement in good faith.
Trump has long been injured by the amount of American support to Ukraine, In reference to Zelenskyy In a previous event in the campaign, “The greatest seller of all ages.”
Trump said in September: “Every time he comes to the United States, he walks at $ 100 billion,” Trump said in September. “I think he is the greatest seller on the ground. But we are stuck in that war unless you are president.”
