US will provide Ukraine with more military aid in exchange for its rare earths

• The U.S. has proposed a deal that would give continued military aid to Ukraine in exchange for access to the country’s rare earth minerals. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent presented the offer to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv this week.
• Ukraine will likely respond on Friday when Zelenskyy meets with Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference.
• This follows previous remarks from President Donald Trump, who suggested acquiring $500 billion in rare earth minerals from Ukraine as compensation for U.S. aid.

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The United States has offered Ukraine a deal that would provide Kyiv with continued American military aid in exchange for access to the country’s rare earth minerals. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent presented the proposal to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in Kyiv this week.

How is Ukraine responding to the proposal?

Following the discussions, Zelenskyy described the talks as “productive.” He confirmed that the Ukrainian government received a draft of the deal, which is currently under review. Ukraine is expected to respond on Friday, Feb. 14, when Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference.

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Why does the U.S. want Ukraine’s rare earths?

This latest development follows previous remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested trading military aid for Ukraine’s rare earth resources. The electronics, defense and energy industries view these minerals as critical.

Trump said that he aimed to acquire the equivalent of $500 billion worth of rare earths from Ukraine and indicated that officials in Kyiv had “essentially agreed” to such an arrangement. The president has expressed a desire for compensation in exchange for the more than $300 billion in U.S. aid already provided to Ukraine.

What happens next?

While the full terms of the proposed deal have not been publicly disclosed, Trump confirmed that he has personally spoken with Zelenskyy and expressed optimism about the upcoming discussions.