Donald Trump demands $500 billion of rare earth minerals from Ukraine

US President Donald Trump on Monday demanded that Ukraine should provide the United States with

rare earth minerals

in return for financial aid for war against Russia. His remarks come as his administration prepares to send a special envoy to Ukraine to discuss a proposal to end the ongoing war with Russia.

Trump demands $500 billion worth of rare earth

Speaking in an interview with Fox News on Monday, Trump said, "We are going to have all this money in there, and I say I want it back. And I told them that I want the equivalent, like $500 billion worth of rare earth." He added, "And they have essentially agreed to do that, so at least we don't feel stupid."
Trump also said Ukraine "may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday," while discussing possible outcomes of the war. He has pushed for a quick resolution to the conflict but has not yet outlined a detailed plan for negotiations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously raised the possibility of allowing the US to develop Ukraine’s natural resources as part of efforts to secure continued support. "The Americans helped the most, and therefore the Americans should earn the most," Zelenskyy told news agency Reuters on Friday. "I would also like to talk about this with President Trump."
Trump confirmed that his special envoy, Keith Kellogg, will soon travel to Ukraine to draft a plan to end the fighting. Ukrainian officials said Kellogg would arrive on February 20, just days before the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion on February 24.
US vice president JD Vance is also set to meet Zelenskyy this Friday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will also be present.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for strong security guarantees from the US and Nato as part of any deal with Russia. Kyiv fears that without concrete military commitments, any settlement would give Moscow time to regroup for another attack.
Meanwhile, Russian forces continue advancing in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and have been targeting energy infrastructure in recent months. On Tuesday, Ukraine's energy minister said the country is applying emergency power supply restrictions to minimize the impact of ongoing attacks.

What are rare earth minerals?

Rare earth elements are a group of 17 elements that play a key role in consumer technology, including cellphones, hard drives, and electric and hybrid vehicles.
It is not clear which specific elements Trump is referring to in Ukraine, though the country has a variety of valuable minerals. "It can be lithium. It can be titanium, uranium, many others," said Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. "It's a lot."
China, which Trump has often criticized as a geopolitical rival, is the largest producer of rare earth elements. Both the U.S. and Europe have been working to reduce their reliance on Beijing for these critical resources.
For Ukraine, a deal involving its mineral resources could help secure continued U.S. military support, which is crucial as the country approaches the fourth year of war with Russia. The proposal also comes at a time when access to key minerals is becoming increasingly difficult worldwide.