Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday called on US companies to invest in his country’s rare earths after Donald Trump said he wanted a deal with Kyiv which involved getting the minerals in exchange for aid.
US President Trump said a day earlier that he would want strategic metals — essential for various technologies — in exchange for security from the United States.
Zelensky, who had floated the idea to the Republican last year, said it would be “fair” to give US companies access to the minerals as Washington has helped Kyiv fend off Russian forces.
“I would like US business… to develop this field here,” Zelensky said, according to comments published by his office.
“We are open to the fact that all this can be developed with our partners, who are both helping us to protect our land and pushing the enemy back with their weapons, and sanctions packages — and this is absolutely fair.”
He called the idea an “important economic point” in his so-called “victory plan” for ending the three-year war with Russia.
The Ukrainian leader said he had discussed such an initiative when he met Trump on a trip to the United States last Autumn.
“I told him that we are open to investments from American companies,” he said.
At the time Zelensky said the plan was meant to protect Ukraine’s natural resources.
Zelensky also said that a visit by Trump’s Ukraine envoy — Keith Kellogg — was in preparation.
“We already have working on the dates when the American team will arrive. We are now agreeing on the dates and the delegation, and we are waiting for the teams. We will work jointly,” he said.
Trump, who took office last month, has said he wants to begin peace talks on the war between the neighbours, which has dragged on for almost three years.
