Draft US-Ukraine rare earth minerals deal not one President Zelensky would accept, source says

 https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/22/europe/rare-earth-minerals-us-ukraine-intl/index.html

A draft deal between the United States and Ukraine over rare earth minerals and other natural resources is “not the one President Zelensky would accept,” according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

“It is a strange offer to try and take from a country that is a victim of war, more than it cost to pay for its defence,” the source told CNN.

The US is trying to gain access to Ukraine’s critical minerals and other resources as part of wider negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. In return, Ukraine has been pushing for security guarantees, with Kyiv not only keen to see the return of lost territory but protection against a possible future Russian invasion.