President Donald Trump on Monday indicated that he wants to reach an agreement with Ukraine to gain access to the country's rare earth materials as a condition for continuing U.S. support for its war against Russia.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump complained that the U.S. had sent more in military and economic assistance to Ukraine than its European partners, adding, “We’re looking to do a deal with Ukraine where they’re going to secure what we’re giving them with their rare earth and other things."
Trump suggested that he's received word from the Ukrainian government that they'd be willing to make a deal to give the U.S. access to the elements critical to the modern high-tech economy.
“I want to have security of rare earth,” Trump added. “We’re putting in hundreds of billions of dollars. They have great rare earth. And I want security of the rare earth, and they’re willing to do it.”
Trump, who had previously said he'd bring about a rapid end to the war, said talks are ongoing to bring the conflict to a close.
“We made a lot of progress on Russia, Ukraine," Trump said. "We’ll see what happens. We’re going to stop that ridiculous war.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the Associated Press on Saturday that any negotiations between the U.S. and Russia but without his country were unacceptable.
“They may have their own relations, but talking about Ukraine without us — it is dangerous for everyone,” Zelenskyy said.
He said his team has been in contact with the Trump administration, but those discussions are at a “general level,” and he believes in-person meetings will take place soon to develop more detailed agreements.
“We need to work more on this,” Zelenskyy said.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
47 Comments
TaiwanIsNotChina
Oh ho ho! We were assured from the commentators here that there would never be any weapons sent to Ukraine under the Trump administration. As usual Trump backflipping all the way back where he came from.
JJE
The mask is finally coming off:
This conflict wasn't about supporting democracy and all that nonsense. This was a good old-fashioned scramble for resources by the west from 2014.
Irony is most of the resources have already been sold off by the Kyiv regime and those 'investors' are losing access to more of it daily. The south-east alone contains some 50% of the former total.
Underworld
I thought peace maker Trump wasn’t going to send any more money to Ukraine? What happened to that?
Underworld
JJE
No. It wasn’t. The year is 2025, and this is the first time it has come up.
This war is an imperialist state grab by Putin. He wants political control of Ukraine.
JJE
Let's pretend with a straight face Kyiv has not struck deals, many years prior, related to mineral wealth extraction and selling off prime black soil agricultural land to some very large foreign interests.
The guy in Kyiv has held multiple meetings with these groups, inked agreements behind closed doors. It is no big secret. Basically, these interests want to push to the last Ukrainian to secure their investments. Really cynical stuff.
bass4funk
For an exchange of their rare minerals? If we get something out of this which can benefit Americans (the only thing I care about) then go for it.
Not at all, they want weapons and support, ok, so what’s in it for me? A trade for a trade, more winning.
I'veSeenFootage
So it's blackmail, basically. Again.
Primusinter
Rare earth metals in Ukraine cannot be developed during military operations and without Russia's consent.
Yrral
Bass4,the government of the United States do not buy rare earth minerals
bass4funk
It will now.
The Avenger
"Trump complained that the U.S. had sent more in military and economic assistance to Ukraine than its European partners,"
Zelenskyy 'exposes' US over Ukraine war aid, ‘got only $75 of $177bn, where is the remaining money?’
In a shocking revelation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Ukraine has received only $75 billion out of the $177 billion military aid approved by the United States. Speaking to the Associated Press, Zelenskyy said he does not know where the remaining funds have gone, fueling speculation of corruption or US corporate lobbying.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/zelenskyy-exposes-us-over-ukraine-war-aid-got-only-75-of-177bn-where-is-the-remaining-money/videoshow/117892597.cms
Underworld
JJE
I think you need to provide some evidence, if you want to make this claim.
And I will note that “the guy in Kyiv” wasn’t the guy in Kyiv in 2014.
Underworld
Primusinter
But they can be, when Russia is kicked out. ;-)
Moriah
The rare earths could pay for Ukraine's reconstruction.
1: ceasefire
2: hold elections in Ukraine
3: Putin makes a peace treaty with the newly elected government which is now legitimate
Russia keeps the 4 provinces and Crimea and Trump gets his rare earths.
Ukraine gets a stable government and gets rebuilt.
Win win
stormcrow
Keep arming Ukraine!
Drive the invaders OUT!
Go Ukraine!
itsonlyrocknroll
43,000 troops killed in war with Russia, Zelensky says
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yv75nydy3o
Quote, OHCHR has estimated the number of deaths of civilians, or non-armed individuals, in Ukraine at 12,162 since the start of the war on February 24, 2022
This all at the hands of despot slaughtering war criminal Russian dictator Putin invasion
President Trump should carefully examine his conscience, at the same time the appropriateness of these statements.
“We’re looking to do a deal with Ukraine where they’re going to secure what we’re giving them with their rare earth and other things."
“I want to have security of rare earth,” Trump added. “We’re putting in hundreds of billions of dollars. They have great rare earth. And I want security of the rare earth, and they’re willing to do it.”
Tokyo Guy
What a vile, vile man.
This is the kind of guy who walks past a drowning man and says "hey, I got a rubber ring here, but you have to promise to vote for me next time I stand for something".
Underworld
Moriah
Swap 2. and 3. and include security guarantees and we have a deal.
lincolnman
Because he thinks "Rare Earths" are a classic rock group...
That "24 hour" vow to end the war just keeps getting ignored and pushed off....
it's now 168 hours....tick-tock Donald...
TaiwanIsNotChina
He says before gleefully counting his chips from the Donbas.
TaiwanIsNotChina
And in what part of that does Ukraine get foreign troops to make the whole thing stick?
TaiwanIsNotChina
That's right, bass, Ukraine was always a US ally. Repeat it now.
MAGAs going to have to bend over and pony up major support if they want those rare earths not to be in russian hands.
WoodyLee
The businessman man doing what he does best, making deals regardless and even when lives are at stake.
kurisupisu
Trump has American interests at heart so he is clearly living up to his mandate-not unusual,right?
Blacklabel
So Zelensky really claiming now that 100 billion of his payments are missing? Never made it to him?
yep, that’s the corruption we been talking about.
Blacklabel
how would THAT happen?
you mean Ukraine isn’t going to “win”? Interesting development.
Fos
As we all know the main responsible for this full scale disaster is the big US industrial military complex, the same one that President Dwight Eisenhower warned against in 1961.
The only reason the US administration intervened in Ukraine was for its sole and exclusive economic interests, not out of solidarity with the local people, or spirit of generosity.
Not to mention the sale of American made weapons (over $110 billions since Feb 2022), which drove the US financial indexes to historical records, a reminder that since the outbreak of war in Ukraine and disruptions in pipeline flows from Russia, the United States has increased LNG sales to Europe by 140 percent.
itsonlyrocknroll
No Fos all roads and blame for this devastating war in Ukraine lead straight to Kremlin, and despot war criminal Putin.
Putin threats of WW3, the use of next generation hypersonic nuclear missiles, prove his guilt complicity.
Had Putin not invaded, hundreds of thousands of souls families would have been saved.
Cities would never been reduced to rubble.
Fos
If there had been no decision in April 2008 to expand Nato into Ukraine the situation in Europe today and the situation regarding the European Russia relations would look fundamentally different and we would have a peaceful Europe. The catastrophic decision by George W. Bush and Condolezza Rice to expand Nato was totally ill conceived: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0epyHOz-Pbs
What is clear from the beginning is that Russia could not have the US nuclear missiles bases in Ukraine, same as Washington would not allow Moscow to hold military equipment in Canada. It is a very elementary principle of satellite countries and big empires.
Recap the huge deal of US made weapons for Wall Street and the LNG trades from Texas and you might have a different take
Underworld
Fos
Incorrect. NATO is a defensive alliance and many countries have joined because of Russian aggression in the region. NATO provides peace.
And which among the new NATO members have nuclear missiles?
None.
Putin knows this.
And yet Belarus has recently installed Russian nuclear missiles.
So Russia can install nuclear missiles in their allies. But NATO agrees not to.
chotto_2
Morals of a gutter rat
wallace
Trump said the US gave hundreds of billions of dollars to Ukraine, except it wasn't hundreds. Trump will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine because a broken Ukraine will get nothing at the Putin-Trump peace table.
Burgerland
"President Donald Trump on Monday indicated that he wants to reach an agreement with Ukraine to gain access to the country's rare earth materials as a condition for continuing U.S. support for its war against Russia."
Trump making it clear in plain English what one of the West's main motivation for supporting the war has been all along. Biden just kept it quiet. It was never about those "democracy" sound bites. Thanks to Trump everyone can see it now.
Underworld
Burgerland
It’s a Trump move. He transactional. Biden isn’t.
Nifty
Couldn't shakedown Mexico or Canada. Hmmm,,,maybe Ukraine?
Fos
If NATO was a defensive alliance how do you explain the bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999m or the 2011 military intervention in Libya, just to name a few? I suggest you “at least” to read the US military dispatches before you spread this kind of disinformation.
Burgerland
"We were assured from the commentators here that there would never be any weapons sent to Ukraine under the Trump administration."
Who here said "never any weapons"? I recall people said Trump would reduce the flow of weapons to Ukraine and bring parties to the ceasefire negotiation table. He is doing that. No need for the NATO bro to make things up again.
itsonlyrocknroll
Europe must step up and make proposals, show statesmanship, lead the agenda.
Joe Biden, now President Trump cannot be lent upon to solve or find a compromise.
NATO membership is not, I don't believe ever was a solution or a threat to the people or the government of Russia.
A remanet of the cold war, a treaty surpassed with the fall of the Berlin wall.
NATO/US past present future will never provide any Ukraine government with a nuclear capability.
Ukraine people have been shamefully betrayed, by all European governments.
The pollical posturing, European leaders taking it in turns, queue up to take a selfie with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy amongst the bombed out rubble is beyond cringeworthy.
If Europe wants President Trump to back off, then step up and take responsibility for the pledges and promises.
Fos
This is not secret information, please do a minimum research beyond what are you being fed, just ask yourself what is behind Russian President Putin’s decision to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
The United States has installed nuclear weapons at NATO bases in Western Europe since the 1950s. The weapons were first transferred to the United Kingdom in 1954, and later to Germany, Italy, France, Turkey, the Netherlands, Greece, and Belgium.
Underworld
Fos
Incorrect. NATO is a defensive alliance
NATO's operation in Kosovo in 1999 followed a year of intense international diplomatic efforts, which included Russia, to end the conflict. The UN Security Council repeatedly branded the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo and the growing number of refugees as a threat to international peace and security. NATO's mission helped to end large-scale and sustained violations of human rights and the killing of civilians.
The NATO-led operation in Libya in 2011 was launched under the authority of two UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs 1970 and 1973), neither of which was opposed by Russia. UNSCR 1973 authorised the international community "to take all necessary measures" to "protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack". This is what NATO did, with the support of regional states and members of the Arab League.
deanzaZZR
Simply hilarious showing the raw greed of Trump and his ilk. Dangle some shiny bits in front of his eyes and he is like a kid in the candy shop.
Underworld
Fos
And which among the new NATO members have nuclear missiles?
Are you suggesting that there are nuclear missiles in these countries. You’ll have to provide evidence if you want to be taken seriously.
A show of force.
The United Kingdom developed their own nukes. And exactly as I said, no new NATO countries have nukes. Turkey was the last in 1952.
bass4funk
Limited. But again, we get something in return and not just a blank check, if that’s the case, then go for it.
Burgerland
"It’s a Trump move. He transactional. Biden isn’t."
Nah, Biden just kept it quiet.
Underworld
Burgerland
"It’s a Trump move. He transactional. Biden isn’t."
Have fun finding evidence for that.
Burgerland
"In a shocking revelation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Ukraine has received only $75 billion out of the $177 billion military aid approved by the United States. Speaking to the Associated Press, Zelenskyy said he does not know where the remaining funds have gone, fueling speculation of corruption or US corporate lobbying.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/zelenskyy-exposes-us-over-ukraine-war-aid-got-only-75-of-177bn-where-is-the-remaining-money/videoshow/117892597.cms"
Well all those villas and luxury cars do cost a lot of money. Thanks US taxpayers.
Burgerland
"MAGAs going to have to bend over and pony up major support if they want those rare earths not to be in russian hands."
Or papa Trump can just get those rare earths from Russia. As yo said he is on better terms with Putin than sleepy Joe was. Either way US will have that rare earths security. Winning.