Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected a draft minerals deal proposed by the US, as it did not have the security measures needed for Kyiv. Three sources told Reuters the US proposed taking ownership of 50% of Ukraine’s critical minerals.
Ukraine has reserves of 500,000 tonnes of lithium, but other materials such as the rare earth minerals titanium and uranium are also present.
A new deal is being worked out by Ukraine and the US. A Ukrainian official told ABC News the terms as of 21 February include Ukraine agreeing to give the US some revenue from some of its most valuable resources.
Ukraine reportedly gave the US a revised proposal last week, seeking to ensure in a post-war context, it would not be invaded again by Russia.
As of 19 February, Russian armed forces were just over four miles from the Shevchenko lithium deposit, according to open-source data from Ukrainian military blog Deep State.
This deposit, located in Donetsk, covers 39.84 hectares with lithium ores in six bodies of pegmatite rock, according to a Ukrainian survey of the land.
The seizure of Ukrainian minerals, not the main stated aim of the war, is nevertheless seen as a key strategic goal by Russia, said Konrad Muzyka, director of the Rochan military consultancy in Poland, according to Reuters.
Zelenskyy said the US deal proposed on 12 February did not contain concrete security guarantees. “That for me is very important: the connection between some kind of security guarantees and some kind of investment,” reported Reuters.
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy meeeting with US special envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg. Ukraine president’s office
