U.S. Official Criticizes Zelenskyy’s “Short-Sighted” Refusal Over Rare Metals
Negotiations Reveal Legal and Political Complexities Behind the Proposed Transfer of Ukraine’s Mineral Wealth Amid Billions in U.S. Aid
Watan-An American official described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s refusal to hand over half of his country’s rare metal resources to the United States as “short-sighted.”
According to the Associated Press, a White House official—whose name was not disclosed—criticized Zelenskyy’s statements rejecting the transfer of rare metals to American companies.
In a related context, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz stated that the United States deserves “a payback” for the billions of dollars it has provided Ukraine in its war with Russia. Waltz said in comments to Fox News on Sunday that the United States has borne the “burden” of the Russian-Ukrainian war for years, and that its support for Ukraine with billions of dollars deserves reciprocation.
He noted that the Ukrainian president’s acceptance of an agreement stipulating the transfer of half of Ukraine’s rare earth element resources to the United States would be a “very wise” step. He also stressed that U.S. President Donald Trump is reassessing all the dynamic factors, adding that “there is no better guarantee than working jointly with Trump.”
Discussion of the Details
According to media reports—including Politico on Saturday, citing officials (whose names were not disclosed) familiar with the negotiations—Zelenskyy refused to sign the agreement aimed at transferring half of Ukraine’s rare metal resources to the United States.
The site quoted a Ukrainian official as saying, “The agreement has not yet been signed, and the parties are still discussing the details. Lawyers are studying the terms, as the United States has formulated its request for 50% of Ukraine’s mineral wealth in an extremely complicated manner.” The official pointed out that the American plan might conflict with Ukrainian laws, which could render its implementation impossible.
On February 3, the U.S. President said that the military aid and other assistance provided by his country to Ukraine had reached “huge” amounts, and that his administration, in return, wants rare earth elements from Kyiv. Trump also stressed the necessity of ending the war in Ukraine, asserting that continued U.S. support for Kyiv must come with something in return.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president previously stated that his country is open to attracting investments from its allies in the mineral resources sector.
It is worth noting that Ukraine contains rare metals used in modern technologies, such as titanium and zirconium.
