Overview
- A Ukrainian government commission selected a U.S.-linked group to develop the Dobra lithium deposit in Kirovohrad Oblast, with officials describing the deal as effectively concluded pending Cabinet sign-off, according to The New York Times.
- The consortium includes billionaire Ronald Lauder and TechMet, which is reported to have ties to the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
- Kyiv has not publicly confirmed the reported decision or disclosed details of the investors’ commitments.
- The tender required at least $179 million in investment, though specific pledges by the winning investors have not been made public.
- The auction followed a 2025 U.S.–Ukraine minerals framework and a tender launched by Yuliya Svyrydenko, with reports noting plans to route part of new mining revenues into a bilateral fund and underscoring lithium’s strategic role as well as prior concerns about uncertain reserve data.