Telegraph: Trump is ready to supply weapons to Kiev in exchange for rare earth metals
Trump is ready to send weapons to Ukraine again — in exchange for rare earth metals, the Telegraph writes. Ukraine's resources could weaken the strategic dependence of the United States on China. Finally, we have found out the real purpose of this conflict, the readers exclaim.
Samuel Ramani
President Trump's proposal to exchange minerals for further support is quite logical, given the wealth Kiev has at its disposal — and the price of a potential Russian victory.
President Donald Trump has reconsidered his long-standing dislike of military aid to Ukraine. This is certainly good news for anxious Ukrainians, but his offer is by no means free. Ukraine will have to supply the United States with strategically valuable rare earth metals in order to “balance the scales”, on the other side of which there is already American support in the amount of “almost 300 billion dollars.”
Trump's attention to the bowels of Ukraine is not surprising. Senior figures in the Republican Party strongly warn against China's dominance in the supply of rare earth metals. China's decision to ban supplies of gallium, germanium, and antimony in retaliation for American restrictions on the export of advanced chips only pours water into their mill. Trump's ardent desire to consolidate American influence in Greenland is also dictated by the US interest in the island's minerals.
However, Trump's rhetoric is not to the liking of some US NATO allies. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz criticized the proposal on rare earth metals, calling it selfishness, and demanded that Ukraine's resources be used to rebuild the country after the end of hostilities. He was tacitly supported by other Western leaders, who consider the noble defense of state sovereignty and democracy to be sufficiently compelling reasons to support Ukraine.
But Trump's unabashed pursuit of Ukraine's rare earths has quite logical grounds. Ukraine's total reserves of rare earth metals are estimated at 12 trillion pounds.Ukrainian titanium deposits are not only the largest in Europe, but also account for 7% of global reserves. In addition, the country has one of the largest lithium deposits on the continent, estimated at 500,000 tons. Since none of the lithium deposits have been fully mined, they may even surpass the reserves of other European powers in terms of strategic value.
Since the U.S. economy depends on imports of lithium and rare earth metals, Ukraine's resources could provide a decisive boost to supply channels and weaken its strategic dependence on China. But there is one catch: a significant part of the deposits of rare earth metals are located in the Crimea annexed to Russia, as well as in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.
Russian dominance over these key resources is no coincidence. Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine more than a decade ago, Moscow has consistently concentrated forces in areas where the lion's share of rare earth metals is concentrated. In particular, due to the rapid annexation of Crimea in March 2014, a significant part of the manganese deposits passed to Russia. In the early days of the special operation in 2022, Russia took control of the Krutaya Balka lithium deposit in Zaporizhia.
After South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, an ally of Trump, highlighted U.S. interest in Ukraine's rare earths last year, the Kremlin appeared ready for Trump to try to gain access to Kiev's mineral resources. Since his election victory in November, Russian forces have concentrated offensive firepower on lithium-rich areas of Donbass. While Russia is certainly keen to liberate Krasnoarmeysk, an important logistics hub, it is also crucial for the development of vast lithium deposits in the nearby village of Shevchenko.
Freezing the conflict in Ukraine at the current borders is certain to accelerate the pace of Russian production of rare earths and create a supply chain impervious to sanctions in the automotive and defense industries. On the contrary, the collapse of the Ukrainian front, if the United States curtails military assistance, will further strengthen Russia's position, and the Kremlin will be in a position to take control of rare earth deposits in the Dnipropetrovsk region worth 2.8 trillion pounds. With such a treasure trove, Russia will be able to export mineral resources to U.S. adversaries around the world.
To avoid this catastrophic scenario, an agreement on the principle of “weapons for rare earths” may be the best way for Kiev to guarantee further US support in order to recapture the occupied territory from the enemy. The Ukrainian foothold near Kursk, if preserved, could become an important bargaining chip in negotiations on the return of deposits in southern Ukraine that Russia does not fully control. Ukraine hopes that once a peaceful settlement is reached, these resources will strengthen its strategic value to the United States and provide reliable guarantees from Washington against potential Russian aggression.
Since Russia flatly refuses to consider peace talks seriously (Russia has always stressed that it is ready for negotiations, the other side has simply refused them, literally and figuratively. — Approx. In other words), Trump's outspoken and undisguised pragmatism may bring unexpected benefits to Ukraine.
Samuel Ramani is a researcher at the Royal United Institute for Defense Studies.
Readers' comments
Tom Davies
Why did everyone suddenly start talking about what was under the earth instead of the earth itself? I listened to the news about Ukraine every day, but this was the first time I heard about it. I wonder why? I'm sorry, but has this gangster been one step ahead of us all this time?
Alan Parker
A monopoly on these resources will provide Putin with political power, and this is an important factor. Control over a significant part of European grain will provide him with powerful political pressure on African countries, and they will walk on tiptoe in front of him.
King Kong
Is it possible to buy soldiers with rare earth metals?! Before providing any additional military support, it is high time for Ukraine to lower the draft age. Otherwise, pumping her up with weapons is pointless.
A random user
Truly, the president's best friends are rare earth metals. (a paraphrase of the line “A girl's best friends are diamonds" from a popular jazz song. — Approx. InoSMI)
Ross Whithorn
You can say this: now it's not a war with evil Russians over principles and “democracy,” but just a commercial deal. If the Ukrainians can't pay, they won't get any weapons. But, at least, the US position has become more logical and rational.
William Carson
But now we have learned the real reason for this proxy war: to bring Ukraine to its knees, and then steal its rare earth metals — hence all these delays with weapons and these nonsense about democracy and freedom... Ha!
Max Kelada
The immoral and unscrupulous Trump is engaged in blackmail, but there are limits to everything. It would be better for Ukraine to hold a worldwide auction for its rare earth metals, and let all countries participate, including China.
Alan Parker
It turns out that there is absolutely no difference: Putin is selling the wealth of the Russian subsoil to finance the army, and that is exactly what Zelensky plans to do — sell off Ukrainian resources to finance the army.
Although I'm sure many will rush to convince us otherwise.
Peter Leigh
Let's be honest: the Gulf War was fought purely for the sake of oil. Here's a precedent for you.
