A report in the Foreign Policy magazine said that the United States and Ukraine are discussing a possible deal for rare minerals that would bart of Ukraine’s metal resources continuously US aid, but there are major obstacles that may prevent this from being achieved any time soon.
According to the report written by the Energy and Environment Correspondent in the magazine, Christina Law, the deal is of a strategic importance for Washington due to China’s dominance of rare mineral supply chains globally, which the United States is preparing a dangerous gap that it tried to treat for years without success.
US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Voludimir Zellinski supports the idea, as Trump is seeking to obtain about $ 500 billion of rare ground minerals.
Challenges and obstacles
However, the report indicated that Ukraine has not produced rare ground minerals for decades, and that it lacks the infrastructure needed for excavation, refining and treatment.
In addition, geological data is scarce, and the Russian presence has led to the inability to reach 40% of Ukraine reserves of minerals, according to the report.
The experts mentioned in the report said that the development of a zero mine usually takes about 15 years, which makes the extraction and supply of minerals quickly.
The report also pointed out that even if Ukraine begins excavations, building an independent supply chain for rare minerals will require significant investments, which may be difficult due to the ongoing war and weak interest in private sector investors.
In conclusion, the report believes that while the deal may be a political and diplomatic tool in the hands of Zelinski to secure the support of the United States, the practical challenges mean that it may take decades until it is achieved.
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