Donald Trump is a deal maker at heart. It’s one of the things he’s best at.
And President Trump just struck a deal with this foreign leader that no one saw coming.
In a move set to reshape the economic relationship between the United States and Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to fly to Washington D.C. this Friday to sign a rare earth mineral deal with President Donald Trump. The agreement aims to formalize future economic collaboration while ensuring America sees a return on its substantial financial support for Ukraine during its ongoing war with Russia.
President Trump, known for his business-first approach to diplomacy, has brokered yet another significant deal — this time with Ukraine agreeing to a mineral rights partnership without any explicit future security guarantees. Both nations have confirmed Zelensky’s upcoming visit, with Trump himself stating, “I hear that he’s coming on Friday. Certainly, it’s OK with me if he’d like to. And he would like to sign it together with me. And I understand that’s a big deal, very big deal.”
The concept of such a deal emerged as a way for the U.S. to recoup some of the billions of dollars spent on supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
While mutually beneficial — Ukraine urgently seeks new industries to fuel its post-war recovery — the proposal was initially dismissed by Ukraine as overly demanding. However, after swift negotiations, both sides have reached a preliminary framework agreement, according to the Financial Times.
Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister and lead negotiator for Kyiv, has emphasized that this deal is just the beginning. “The minerals agreement is only part of the picture. We have heard multiple times from the US administration that it’s part of a bigger picture,” she said.
Under the terms of the deal, the U.S. and Ukraine will jointly develop critical resources, including rare earth minerals, oil, and gas. A joint investment fund will also be established, with Ukraine agreeing to allocate 50 percent of proceeds from the future monetization of state-owned minerals into the fund. In return, the U.S. commits to supporting Ukraine’s economic development.
While the current “framework agreement” lacks detailed specifics — such as the exact size of America’s stake in the fund or the mechanics of joint ownership — it sets the stage for future negotiations. Initially, the U.S. had proposed a $500 billion investment fund, while Ukraine sought firm security guarantees.
Both sides appear to have compromised: although the deal contains no direct security assurances, the U.S.’s financial interest in Ukraine’s economic growth effectively ties Washington to the region’s stability and development.
The deal also carries significant geopolitical weight. With President Trump’s sharp focus on countering China’s global influence, an American economic foothold in Ukraine’s mineral sector could serve as a strategic deterrent to Chinese investment.
As previously highlighted by Breitbart News: “Ukraine is home to a bountiful supply of naturally occurring rare earth minerals and other minerals considered critical for modern industries. Among the most coveted are lithium, used to make batteries for mobile phones and laptops, and the critical nuclear energy product uranium. Ukraine is believed to be home to as much as five percent of the world’s known critical mineral reserves.”
According to Breitbart News, China has long viewed Ukraine as an attractive investment opportunity. Prior to Zelensky’s presidency, Ukraine joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — a controversial program often criticized as a means for Beijing to impose debt traps on developing nations. Though Zelensky has explored Chinese investment opportunities for post-war reconstruction, an assertive American presence in Ukraine’s mineral industry could temper Beijing’s ambitions.
The economic future of Ukraine is inevitably tied to the yet-to-be-negotiated peace deal, and Russia has not remained idle. In a provocative counteroffer, Moscow recently proposed its own rare earth deal, claiming to control Ukraine’s most valuable mineral deposits within the territories it currently occupies.
President Vladimir Putin stated: “We would work with pleasure with any foreign partners including with Americans… We are also ready to attract foreign partners to our so-called new territories — our historic territories that have gone back to being part of Russia.”
This unexpected proposal presents a complicated dilemma for Western nations, particularly for European leaders who have made regime change in Russia a cornerstone of their foreign policy.
However, Trump may view this as an opportunity to further a larger strategy — one that seeks to pull Russia away from China’s sphere of influence by encouraging economic ties with the West.
As the world watches, Friday’s signing of the U.S.-Ukraine rare earth mineral deal will not only mark a pivotal moment in bilateral relations but also ripple across the complex web of global geopolitics.
With economic interests now deeply entwined, both Washington and Kyiv appear poised to forge a partnership that extends far beyond the battlefield.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
