Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has reportedly refused to sign an agreement that would have granted the United States access to Ukraine’s valuable rare earth minerals, despite mounting pressure from US officials. The revelation, first reported by Washington Post journalist Josh Rogin and later corroborated by Reuters, suggests a growing rift between Kyiv and Washington over the issue of natural resource concessions.

The situation reached a critical point during the Munich Security Conference (MSC) when a US congressional delegation presented Zelensky with a proposal aimed at securing American rights to 50% of Ukraine’s future mineral reserves. According to a post by Josh Rogin on X, Zelensky declined to sign the document, expressing concerns over its one-sided nature and stating that he had not been given sufficient time to review the proposal in detail.

The push for access to Ukraine’s critical mineral reserves aligns with recent statements made by US President Donald Trump, who has argued that American financial and military support for Ukraine should be repaid through resource concessions. Speaking to Fox News, Trump insisted that Kyiv should provide the US with approximately $500 billion worth of rare earth materials, asserting that Ukraine’s mineral wealth was of “tremendous value” in the context of defense, energy, and technology industries.

Trump’s stance is reflective of a broader trend in US foreign policy that seeks to ensure........

© Blitz