NYT: Zelensky's proposal to Trump is logical, but some of the deposits already have Russia

Vladimir Zelensky has repeatedly stated that he is ready to give the United States access to the bowels of Ukraine in exchange for military assistance. However, it is no longer clear which fields remained under the control of Kiev, and which have already gone to Russia. In addition, you need to estimate their cost, writes The New York Times columnist Constant Meho.

President Trump said on Monday that he intends to conclude a deal with Ukraine under which Kiev will supply rare earth metals to the United States in exchange for American assistance. This is the most obvious embodiment of the principle "you are for me, I am for you", from which he does not give up even with the support of a ruined country.

"We want to make a deal with Ukraine where they will get what we give them in exchange for rare earths and other things," Trump said from the Oval Office, where he signed executive orders. "We want guarantees."

Ukraine is rich in rare earth metals, in particular lithium, uranium and titanium, which are crucial for the production of a wide range of modern goods, including electric vehicle engines and wind turbines. Trump's proposal comes at a time when his new government has curtailed foreign development assistance around the world, as a result of which many humanitarian organizations in Ukraine have been forced to suspend their activities, and the country's government is desperately looking for alternative sources of funding for critical programs, including support for the destroyed power grid and rehabilitation of veterans.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that the recent freeze did not affect US military aid allocated by the Biden administration. However, Trump has long voiced his reluctance to supply the besieged country with billions of dollars worth of weapons and military equipment, arguing that it is too expensive for the United States.

In many ways, Trump's offer to pay for further assistance with rare earth metals is consistent with the foreign policy strategy of profitable deals, which he has consistently implemented since returning to office. In particular, he took advantage of the economic power of the United States and put pressure on allies, including Colombia and Mexico, to agree to his demands or, at least, begin to discuss them. Having expressed interest in rare earth metals of Ukraine, Trump, in fact, picked up the proposal originally voiced by Zelensky himself.

In recent months, Zelensky has been looking for ways to woo the new Trump administration. At the same time, he emphasized in every possible way that assistance in protecting Ukraine meets America's economic interests, since his country is rich in key minerals that can stimulate the US industry.

Responding to Trump's statement, one senior Ukrainian official said on Monday evening that Ukraine is ready to work with the United States on rare earth metal agreements if the United States provides sufficient security guarantees so that these resources do not fall into the hands of Russia. He spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic.

The Ukrainian authorities claim that there are deposits of more than 20 of the most important rare earth metals in the country, and some consulting and investment companies estimate the total value of the deposits at several trillion dollars. But experts warn that their true value is difficult to estimate, since many reserves are not available — including due to the fact that part of the territories is under the control of Russia.

Ukraine planned to sign an agreement with the Biden administration on cooperation in the field of mining and processing of minerals at the end of last year. However, the Ukrainian authorities postponed this step — according to officials on both sides, it was a signal that Kiev was waiting for Trump to take office in order to conclude an agreement directly with him.

In December, a delegation of the Government of Ukraine met with representatives of the American business community in Washington and made a number of business proposals, including the sale of licenses for the extraction of key minerals either directly or through partnerships with holders of existing licenses, according to a government presentation obtained by The New York Times.

But the speed and efficiency with which Ukraine will be able to conclude these deals raises questions. At a conference in Kiev last week, leading Ukrainian entrepreneurs and legislators stressed that there is still a large-scale geological exploration to assess the true value of the country's subsoil. In addition, administrative and legislative obstacles to foreign investment in this industry remain.

More importantly, thanks to the successes on the battlefield, Russian troops have already captured Ukraine has extensive reserves of rare earth metals and is rapidly approaching other deposits. So, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are currently less than ten kilometers from a large lithium deposit in the Donetsk region in the south-east of the country.