Trump has done a mineral deal with Ukraine, why the compulsion of America to get critical mineral? 6 questions and answers
The US has finally signed a Critical Mineral Deal with Ukraine, US-Akraine Critical Minerals Deal). This agreement has been made between the two countries to divide the revenue earnings from future sales of Ukraine minerals and rare meanings. On this deal, President Donald Trump had been insisting for the last 2 months and he claims that the US will get economic incentive by applying an agreement on sharing natural resources, so that he will be able to protect Ukraine after a future peace agreement with Russia and continue investing in its reconstruction.
The US Treasury Secretary (Finance Minister) Scott Besant and Ukraine’s first Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Swiridenco have signed the deal, whose official name is the natural resource agreement (Natural Resource Deal).
On April 30, The United States and Ukraine Signed An Agreement to Establish the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund.
This Historic Economic Partnership Clear Signals The Trump Administration’s Commitment to a Free, Sovereign, and Prosperous Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/CKUACUHET9
– Treasury Department (@USTREASURY) April 30, 2025
What is in Q-Deal?
According to this deal, the US and Ukraine together will form an investment fund to find minerals inside Ukraine. Along with this, it will be decided how the earnings from those minerals will be distributed between the two countries.
In a post on Facebook, Ukraine’s first Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Swiridenco gave more information about the fund. Regarding this, he said that it will “attract global investment”. He confirmed that Ukraine would retain complete ownership of the resources owned by Ukraine in his territory and regional water .. Ukrainian will determine where and what to withdraw. “
Q-What has America said about the deal?
In a statement, the US stated that the agreement “indicates Russia” that Trump administration “is committed to the peace process centered on an independent, sovereign and rich” Ukraine.
US Treasury Secretary (Finance Minister) Scott Besant said, “President Trump had imagined this partnership between American people and Ukrainians to show the commitment of both sides for permanent peace and prosperity in Ukraine .. And clearly, no country or individual will be allowed to take advantage of any country or individuals who fund the Russian war machine.”
What are Q-Critical Minerals?
Critical mineral or rare minerals are actually metals and other raw materials that are essential for the production of high-tech products. These are used in the production of electronics goods used in common life along with the products related to adopting green energy, especially. Even the infrastructure of Artificial Intelligence or to produce high tech weapons, it is needed everywhere.
If we look at pure science, then Critical mineral or rare mineral is a group of 17 metals, most of which are heavy (heavy metals), which are actually abundant in the earth’s layer worldwide. Some of these names are dysproosium, neodimium and seryium. In 2024, the United States Geological Survey estimated that there are 110 million tonnes of rare minerals worldwide. Out of this, 44 million tonnes are in China and it is the largest producer in the world so far. Apart from this, 22 million tonnes in Brazil, 21 million tonnes in Vietnam, 10 million in Russia and 7 million tonnes in India.
Q-Ukraine, which critical minerals have?
According to The Guardian report, an article in 2022 by Hannah Livent Seva, president of Ukraine’s Association of Geologists, claims that his country has about 5% of the world’s mineral resources, while Ukraine covers only 0.4% of the surface of the world. According to Reuters reports, Ukraine has a figure of 22 of the 34 minerals considered by the European Union in its country, including rare meanings such as Lanthenum, Cerum, Neodimium, Arbium and Yetrium.
According to research by the European Commission, before the war began with Russia, Ukraine was a major supplier of the Titanium. He produced about 7%of global production in 2019, titanium. He is also a big supplier of manganese. It also claimed about 500,000 tonnes of lithium reserves, which is the largest in Europe. It has fifth part of the world’s graphite, which is an important component of nuclear power stations.
Q- Why did America want to deal on critical mineral at any cost?
According to the US Geological Survey, in 2024, the US depended on China, Malaysia, Japan and Estonia for 80 percent of its critical mineral needs. Trump wants this dependence to end now and America can get it on its own. His effort is part of his agenda to make America the center of big technology (Big Tech). Each of the 17 rare minerals is used in the industry and is planted in everyday and high technology devices from light-balls to guided missiles.
As the world’s economy and technology are changing, the importance of critical mineral has increased and the ropes are increasing in countries for access to them.
Q- Are Trump charging ‘interest’ from Ukraine?
Trump has emphasized since becoming an US President that in the war against Russia, the US has helped Ukraine more than Ukraine and he has not got anything in return. Trump wants Ukraine to give him minerals in return for the economic and strategic assistance of Ukraine in these three years.
This agreement has been the cause of major conflict between the US and Ukraine. Remember, the whole world saw Tu-Tu Main-Main between Donald Trump and Walodimir Jailonski. Prior to the meeting, Jailonsky had alleged that the US was pressurizing him to sign a mineral wealth of more than $ 500 billion (£ 395 billion). Jailonsky had said that it will take 10 generations of the people of Ukraine to repay it.
However, after the deal was signed, Ukraine’s Prime Minister, Dennis Shimhal, said that after the Russian attack, Ukraine would not be asked to return a “debt” for billions of dollars of American weapons and other support. This was a big demand before signing the deal of Kyiv.
Also read: 5 precious ‘gems’ hidden in Ukraine’s land which America wants to get