Trump and Zelensky Discuss U.S.-Ukraine Minerals Deal Amid Ongoing War

Preliminary terms propose a joint fund using Ukraine's natural resource revenues to offset U.S. aid, but questions over feasibility and security guarantees remain.

The proposed deal establishes a Reconstruction Investment Fund, with Ukraine contributing 50% of revenues from its state-owned natural resources, including critical minerals and hydrocarbons.
President Zelensky seeks U.S. security guarantees as part of the agreement, which are currently absent from the deal's text.
Ukraine's mineral wealth, including rare earth elements and critical materials, is significant but partially located in Russian-occupied territories, complicating extraction and revenue generation.
The feasibility of monetizing Ukraine's resources is uncertain due to incomplete geological data, war-damaged infrastructure, and high extraction costs.
The deal is framed as a mechanism to recoup U.S. aid provided to Ukraine, with estimates of U.S. assistance ranging between $119 billion and $183 billion.