After Trump seeks minerals in exchange for aid, Zelenskyy urges US to invest in Ukraine's rare earths

After US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a deal with Kyiv that would involve obtaining minerals in exchange for aid, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday called on US companies to invest in his country’s rare earths.

Trump said a day earlier that he would want strategic metals - essential for various technologies - in exchange for security from the US.

Zelenskyy, who had floated the idea to the Republican last year, said it would be “fair” to give US companies access to the minerals as Washington has helped Kyiv fend off Russian forces.

“I would like US business… to develop this field here,” AFP quoted Zelenskyy as saying, citing comments published by his office.

“We are open to the fact that all this can be developed with our partners, who are both helping us to protect our land and pushing the enemy back with their weapons, and sanctions packages - and this is absolutely fair,” added the Ukrainian President.

He described the idea as an “important economic point” in his “victory plan” for concluding the three-year war with Russia.

Zelenskyy mentioned that he had talked about this initiative during his meeting with Trump on a trip to the US last autumn.

“I told him that we are open to investments from American companies,” Zelenskyy was quoted as saying.

At the time Zelenskyy said the plan was meant to protect Ukraine’s natural resources.

Zelenskyy also said that a visit by Trump’s Ukraine envoy - Keith Kellogg - was in preparation.

“We already have working on the dates when the American team will arrive. We are now agreeing on the dates and the delegation, and we are waiting for the teams. We will work jointly,” he said.

Trump, who took office last month, has said he wants to begin peace talks on the war between the neighbours, which has dragged on for almost three years.

With inputs from agencies