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As the Trump administration publicly hammers out its plans on ending Russia's war in Ukraine, it's also pressing Ukraine to make deals in exchange for more aid. One deal in the works involves giving the U.S. the right to mine critical minerals and rare-earth metals. NPR's Joanna Kakissis has more from Kyiv.
JOANNA KAKISSIS, BYLINE: Rare-earth metals are used to produce everything from laptops to cancer treatment drugs. Ukraine has some of the largest in Europe. In interviews, President Trump has said they're worth anywhere between 500 million and $500 billion. Speaking to Fox News earlier this week, Trump said he told the Ukrainians he wants to exchange mineral rights for American aid.
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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And they've essentially agreed to do that. So at least we don't feel stupid. Otherwise, we're stupid. I said to them, we have to get something. We can't continue to pay this money.
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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: We have some first remarks?
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: OK. Thank you very much.
KAKISSIS: Trump sent his Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, to Kyiv earlier this week to talk about a mining deal. Bessent framed it as the U.S. and Ukraine deepening economic ties.
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SCOTT BESSENT: This is an important signal to the world, to the Russian leadership, that we stand together.
KAKISSIS: Zelenskyy first brought up the idea to Trump last fall. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference today, Zelenskyy said such a deal would give Ukraine security guarantees.
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PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: (Through interpreter) We need to protect Ukraine and our resources. Why do we need to protect them? - so that they do not fall into the hands of Russia and their allies.
KAKISSIS: Ukraine has lost raw material deposits in parts of eastern Ukraine now occupied by Russia. Senator Lindsey Graham, who is also in Munich, framed the prospective deal as a way to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into concessions.
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LINDSEY GRAHAM: Let's do the minerals agreement so we'll have our American business interests. Putin doesn't understand what's going on. If we sign this minerals agreement, Putin is screwed, 'cause Trump will defend the deal.
KAKISSIS: Volodymyr Landa, senior economist at the Centre for Economic Strategy in Kyiv, expects American investors will be interested in two critical minerals - titanium, which is used in aviation, and lithium, which is used in electronics.
VOLODYMYR LANDA: If an American company opens not just a mine but a lithium enrichment factory, for example, that's very good. That definitely is win-win situation, when American investor will get revenues, will get predictable supply chain, and Ukraine will get jobs, Ukraine will get taxes.
KAKISSIS: While some lithium deposits lie in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine and close to the front line, others are safe. Landa says an Azerbaijani company called NEQSOL bought the holding rights to two big deposits of titanium this fall.
Environmentalists say processing critical minerals create sludge that, if stored improperly, can contaminate soil and groundwater. Dmytro Kuleba, a former foreign minister in Zelenskyy's administration, said this can't be a priority for Ukraine as Russia advances.
DMYTRO KULEBA: If I have to choose between the threat of contaminating these territories with Russia or contaminating them with the byproducts of exploration of raw materials, I would definitely go for the second option.
KAKISSIS: The negotiations on these mining rights, part of a big plan to end the war, are set to continue next week when the Trump administration's special envoy is set to visit Ukraine.
Joanna Kakissis, NPR News, Kyiv.
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