President Volodymyr Zelensky is pushing for a take care of america that will grant American corporations entry to Ukraine’s huge reserves of uncommon earth minerals in alternate for continued monetary and navy help.
Throughout an interview with Reuters on Feb. 7, Zelensky examined a once-classified map detailing the nation’s mineral wealth, highlighting its strategic significance. He emphasised that any settlement should embrace safety ensures to stop future Russian aggression.
The proposal aligns with U.S. President Donald Trump’s curiosity in securing Ukraine’s uncommon earths and different important minerals as a part of ongoing help for Kyiv. Zelensky harassed that Ukraine was not providing to "give away" its sources however searching for a mutually useful partnership.
"The Individuals helped probably the most, and subsequently the Individuals ought to earn probably the most," he stated, including that he hoped to debate the difficulty straight with Trump. He additionally famous that Moscow had intensive data of Ukraine’s mineral wealth from Soviet-era geological surveys.
In accordance with Zelensky, lower than 20% of Ukraine's mineral sources are below Russian occupation, together with about half of its uncommon earth deposits. He warned that Russian allies equivalent to North Korea and Iran may exploit these sources, reinforcing the urgency of securing Western funding.
Ukraine holds Europe’s largest reserves of titanium—essential for the aeronautics and house industries—in addition to vital uranium deposits. Zelensky additionally raised the prospect of utilizing Ukraine’s underground fuel storage services to retailer U.S. liquefied pure fuel, positioning the nation as a key vitality hub for Europe.
Zelensky is ready to attend the Munich Safety Convention from Feb. 14-16, the place he hopes to satisfy Trump’s particular envoy for Russia and Ukraine, Keith Kellogg. He insisted that any U.S.-Russia discussions should embrace direct Ukrainian participation. "In any other case, it’s going to appear like a dialogue about Ukraine with out Ukraine," he stated.
The Ukrainian chief stated his precedence can be securing agency commitments on safety ensures earlier than any negotiations with Moscow transfer ahead.
In the meantime, on the battlefield, Ukrainian forces have launched a brand new offensive in Russia’s Kursk area, advancing 2.5 km (1.5 miles). Zelensky additionally confirmed that 1000’s of North Korean troops combating for Russia had returned to energetic fight after a quick pause.
The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk