United States President Donald Trump has announced his intention to sign an agreement with Ukraine to boost the production of rare earth minerals. He invoked wartime powers to increase domestic production of these critical minerals, which are essential for manufacturing electronics, batteries, and magnets. During an address at the White House on Thursday, Trump stated that his administration is pursuing deals in various locations to access rare earth minerals, with a particular focus on Ukraine, which possesses significant reserves.

Trump made these remarks after signing an executive order that directs federal agencies to identify mines and government-owned land that could be utilized to increase the production of critical minerals. This order invokes the Defense Production Act, a Korean War-era law that grants the US government comprehensive authority to mobilize industrial resources for national security purposes.

Initially, the US and Ukraine were set to sign a deal that would grant Washington access to Kyiv’s natural resources. However, a public dispute between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last month put the agreement on hold. Despite this tension, Zelenskyy recently expressed his government’s readiness to sign the deal, emphasizing the importance of having the Ukrainian position

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/3/21/trump-orders-increased-minerals-production-says-ukraine-deal-coming-soon?traffic_source=rss