Trump demands “equalization” from Ukraine: Rare Earths for US aid

Shafaq News/ US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he wants Ukraine to supply the United States with rare earth minerals as compensation for Washington’s financial support of the country’s war efforts against Russia.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump stated that Ukraine was willing to cooperate and reiterated his demand for "equalization" from Ukraine for the "close to $300 billion" in aid provided by the US.
Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the level of support from European partners, arguing that the US had contributed more in military and economic assistance. “We’re looking to do a deal with Ukraine where they’re going to secure what we’re giving them with their rare earth and other things,” he said.
"We want what we put up to go in terms of a guarantee. We want a guarantee. We're giving them money, we're giving them equipment. Europe is not keeping up with us ... they should equalize. They should pay equal to us," Trump added.
Rare earth minerals, a group of 17 metals crucial for the production of electric vehicles, cellphones, and other electronics, are in high demand due to their lack of known substitutes. Ukraine holds significant deposits of uranium, lithium, and titanium, which could be strategically valuable for such an arrangement.
The US currently has only one operational rare earth mine and limited processing capacity, although multiple companies are working to expand domestic production. Meanwhile, China remains the world's largest producer of rare earths and other critical minerals.