Explainer
Why Trump Wants Ukraine’s Minerals and What’s on Offer
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US President Donald Trump said in mid-March that the deal to grab a share of Ukraine’s natural resources would be signed “very shortly,” as he continues to push for an end to Russia’s three-year war in the country.
Trump has sought to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy into letting the US benefit from Ukraine’s untapped resources, at a time when Washington is seeking to secure supplies of critical minerals. The agreement was initially supposed to be inked on Feb. 28 but was thrown into doubt after an explosive White House meeting between the two leaders.