The United States and Ukraine have recently reached a framework agreement to jointly develop Ukraine’s natural resources, including rare earth minerals, oil, and gas. While this deal aims to strengthen Ukraine’s economic stability and infrastructure, it notably lacks US security guarantees—something Kyiv had sought to deter further Russian aggression. Instead, the US appears to view access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as a form of indirect compensation for the substantial military and economic aid it has provided.

This agreement raises critical questions about international law, particularly the principles governing humanitarian assistance, sovereignty, and economic exploitation during conflicts. Traditionally, humanitarian assistance is provided with the aim of alleviating suffering, without economic conditions attached. The principle of the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ (R2P) stipulates that military intervention or aid should not be contingent on material gain for the assisting state. Yet, in this case, US access to critical resources in........

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