British News Agency

Last week, an agreement between the USA and Ukraine, in which the USA wanted to obtain rare earth metals, was intensely debated.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that, in return for the support provided to Ukraine so far, he demanded rare earth metals worth 500 billion dollars from the country.

Some experts believe that Ukraine lacks valuable rare earth resources.

Magnus Ericsson, a professor of mining economics at Luleå University of Technology and a consultant in the mining sector, told DN that there are neither mines nor any known deposits of rare earth metals in Ukraine.

Ericsson said that as a result, the figure of 500 billion dollars is completely unrealistic, but that other types of materials are also produced in the mining country.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in an article published in the Financial Times, stated that much about the economic agreement has been misunderstood, and that it was Zelenskiy who raised the issue of rare earth metals and minerals from the very beginning.

The Finance Minister wrote that the revenues from Ukraine's natural resources and infrastructure are intended to be used for rebuilding the country's economy, and that the investments will be controlled by the USA through a fund.

The Telegraph had earlier reported that the proposed agreement also covers oil and natural gas resources, ports, and other infrastructures.

On Saturday night, during his speech at the conservative CPAC conference, Donald Trump said that the agreement with Ukraine is near, while it was noted that Zelenskiy is not yet ready to sign any agreement.