Media: US may send troops to Ukraine to protect minerals

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has instructed his aides to reject a proposal from officials of the Trump administration that would grant the US significant access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals.

US officials suggested the proposal would serve as a form of repayment for the support Washington has provided Kyiv since the war with Russia began, but Zelenskyy did not believe the agreement included sufficient security guarantees for Ukraine, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent initially proposed the draft agreement, which would have granted the US 50 per cent ownership of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, to Zelenskyy last week.

“I didn’t let the ministers sign a relevant agreement because in my view it is not ready to protect us, our interest,” Zelenskyy stated at the Munich Security Conference. 

A US official called Zelenskyy’s response “short-sighted,” adding that it would secure an “enduring partnership” between the two countries. “Binding economic ties with the United States will be the best guarantee against future aggression and an integral part of lasting peace. 

The US recognizes this, the Russians recognize this, and the Ukrainians must recognize this,” the official stated. US officials familiar with the proposal indicated a willingness to send American troops to Ukraine to protect the minerals, but only once a deal with Russia to end the war had been reached. Zelenskyy chose not to sign the draft when Bessent first presented it during their meeting in Kyiv, stating that he needed more time to study it and consult with others.

In a recent Fox News interview, President Donald Trump expressed his desire for the US to secure $500 billion worth of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, claiming that Kyiv “essentially agreed to do so.” Ukraine holds some of the world’s largest reserves of titanium and iron ore, both crucial for producing various technology products. However, many of these minerals are located in areas currently under Russian control, according to US officials. 

Ukrainian officials have noted that Zelenskyy has long supported the concept of exchanging “critical resources” for continued US assistance, incorporating it into the “Victory Plan” he presented to Trump in a meeting last fall.

During an exclusive interview at the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would face a "low chance to survive without support of the United States." Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly questioned the extent of US support for Ukraine, referring to Zelenskyy as “the greatest salesman of all time” at a campaign event last year.

By Naila Huseynova