Ukrainian President Zelenskyy rejected a U.S. proposal for accessing Ukraine's rare earth minerals, citing its focus on U.S. interests without sufficient security guarantees for Ukraine. He emphasized the need for any mineral exploitation to be connected to safeguards against Russian aggression. This decision, characterized as short-sighted by U.S. officials, reflects broader tensions in negotiations surrounding Ukraine's critical resources, which are crucial for various industries and strategic for reducing U.S. dependence on China.
The proposal, which was at the center of Zelenskyy's talks with U.S. Vice President JD Vance on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Friday, did not offer any specific security guarantees in return.
Zelenskyy said any exploitation would need to be tied to security guarantees for Ukraine that would deter future Russian aggression.
#zelenskyy #rare-earth-minerals #us-ukraine-relations #security-guarantees #munich-security-conference
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