During the Munich Security Conference, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky unexpectedly refused to sign a memorandum on cooperation with the United States on the production of rare earth metals. The political participant of The Washington Post Josh Rogin on the social network X, referring to the American Congressmen who took part in the meeting.
According to the proposal, Washington would receive 50% of all future mineral reserves in Ukraine, but without any security guarantees for Kiev.
"Zelensky politely refused to sign it," he wrote in his column.
According to sources, the United States wanted to access Ukraine's strategic resources, which are important for technology development, in particular in the field of electronics, defense and alternative energy.
However, official Kyiv insists that such arrangements should be accompanied by clear security guarantees for Ukraine.
“Our teams will continue to work on the document. We are ready to move to a real and guaranteed peace as soon as possible. We deeply appreciate the determination of President Trump, who can help stop the war and provide justice and security guarantees for Ukraine, ”Zelensky said after the negotiations.
The issue of rare earth metals was also discussed during Zelensky's meeting with US Vice -President Jew Di Vance. However, the arrangements could not be achieved.
Kiev insists that access to Ukrainian natural resources should be part of a wider strategic partnership package, including:
- US security guarantees
- Further military assistance
- Protection of Ukraine's economic interests
Why is this deal important for the US?
Rare earth metals are critical for the US high -tech industry. Today, China controls about 70% of the world market for these resources, and Washington seeks to reduce Beijing addiction.
Ukraine also has significant reserves of rare earth metals, which can make it a key player in this area.
Earlier, Zelensky stated that Ukraine is ready for joint mining with Western partners, in particular with the United States. The head of state stressed that access to Ukrainian fields should be obtained by those countries that support Ukraine in the war with Russia.
