The European Union offered its own agreement on „critical materials” to Ukraine on Monday, while U.S. President Donald Trump claims that Washington is close to reaching an agreement with Kiev for rights over its vast natural resources.
European Commissioner for Industrial Strategy, Stéphane Séjourné, stated that he presented a counterproposal to Ukrainian officials he met in Kiev during a visit by the European Commission to mark the three years since the Russian invasion, as reported by POLITICO.
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"21 out of the 30 critical materials that Europe needs can be provided by Ukraine in a mutually beneficial partnership," Séjourné stated, according to AFP. "The added value that Europe offers is that we will never ask for an agreement that is not mutually beneficial," emphasized the European Commissioner.
Trump has made increasingly aggressive proposals towards Ukraine for rights over its mineral wealth, demanding up to $500 billion as compensation for Washington's support to Kiev in repelling Moscow's invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has so far refused to sign two draft agreements proposed by the Trump administration, stating that the terms - which, according to The New York Times, include provisions for Ukraine to relinquish ores, oil and gas revenues, as well as revenues from ports and other infrastructures worth $500 billion - are too harsh.
"I will not sign something that 10 generations of Ukrainians will have to pay back," Zelensky said at a press conference on Sunday.
But Trump insisted on Monday that a "final agreement" is "very close" and that it will include "rare earths and various other things."
Ukraine holds vast deposits of critical elements and minerals, from lithium to titanium, which are vital for manufacturing modern technologies and highly coveted in the global race for resources. Ukraine also has extensive reserves of coal, as well as oil, gas, and uranium, but much of these are located in territories under Russian control.