(CLO) President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is proposing to grant access to Ukraine's rare earths and important minerals to the United States to ensure important financial and military support.
He proposed granting Ukraine access to rare earths and other critical minerals to the United States, stressing that Washington needs to continue providing aid to Kiev to benefit from these resources.
At the same time, he also expressed his desire to meet directly with US President Donald Trump before any negotiations between Washington and Moscow, to ensure that Ukraine's interests are put first.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photo: Facebook/zelenskyy.official
In an interview on August 7, Mr. Zelenskyy examined a once-secret map of Ukraine’s key mineral deposits, including rare earths, titanium, uranium and many other strategic elements.
He stressed that although about half of Ukraine's rare earth reserves are currently located in areas controlled by Russia, the remainder could still play an important role in attracting investment from the West.
Mr Zelenskyy threatened that if Ukraine failed to protect these resources, Russia “could exploit them and supply them to allies like North Korea and Iran”, increasing the threat to the US and Europe.
Ukraine began proposing to open its mineral markets to Western investors last fall as part of a “victory plan” aimed at gaining an advantage before entering any negotiations with Moscow.
Mr Zelenskyy insisted that Kiev had no intention of “giving away” its resources but wanted to build a mutually beneficial cooperation model. “The US has helped the most, so they should benefit the most. They need to have priority in these agreements,” he said.
Ukraine is also in talks with the United States about using its underground gas storage facilities to store liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States. Zelenskyy said the Trump administration is particularly interested in the plan, which could help Ukraine become a key energy hub for Europe.
Meeting Trump in person before any talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin is one of Zelenskyy’s top priorities. He worries that if the US negotiates with Russia without Ukraine’s participation, Kiev could be put at a disadvantage.
Mr Zelenskyy’s team is currently in close contact with Mr Keith Kellogg, Mr Trump’s special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, as well as Mr Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Waltz. They are speaking daily to prepare for upcoming discussions.
The Munich Security Conference from February 14 to 16 is expected to be an opportunity for Ukrainian and US officials to meet and discuss a common strategy to deal with Russia.
On the battlefield, the Ukrainian army is still facing many challenges as Russia continues to increase pressure in the east. Mr. Zelensky confirmed that the Ukrainian army has just launched a new offensive in Russia's Kursk region, advancing 2.5 kilometers into enemy territory.
To address the manpower shortage, the Ukrainian government plans to launch attractive recruitment contracts to attract young people aged 18-24 into the military.
Hoai Phuong (according to SCMP, Reuters)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tong-thong-zelenskyy-de-xuat-nhuong-quyen-khai-thiac-tai-nguyen-khoang-san-cho-my-post333612.html
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