Donald Trump might be in discussions regarding mineral rights with both Vladimir Putin and Russia, as well as with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine. A leading Democrat in the Senate has expressed concerns about the US president’s push for Ukraine to grant American companies access to 50% of its rare-earth mineral reserves, a move that could potentially aid in ending the war three years after Russia’s invasion.

Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat from New Hampshire and a key player in the Senate committees on foreign relations and armed services, recently voiced her thoughts following a visit to Ukraine. She acknowledged that any initiative helping Ukraine enter into peace negotiations would be positive, but sounded caution about Trump’s involvement with Putin on the deal. She mentioned that about 40-50% of Ukraine’s mineral deposits are in areas controlled by Russian forces, which could complicate the situation.

Shaheen was speaking on the One Decision podcast, a show featuring former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove, former CIA director Leon Panetta, and journalist Christina Ruffini. She reiterated concerns about Ukraine’s ability to reclaim all of its territory lost to Russia and opposed Kyiv’s goal of joining NATO. Trump has emphasized a deal with Ukraine as compensation for military support, noting that he doesn’t intend to make significant security guarantees and expects Europe to handle defense commitments.

Trump is expected to meet with Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, and Shaheen supported efforts to secure peace in Ukraine, suggesting that if the deal bolsters Ukraine’s position and is accepted by Zelenskyy, she would be in favor of it.

Shaheen and others recently visited Bucha, a town where Russian forces committed atrocities in 2022, which illustrated to her the determination of Ukrainian people to resist and the brutality of Putin’s regime. The visit helped to underscore the high stakes of the conflict.

It’s clear that Trump’s approach to Ukraine and its conflict with Russia, including an implicit preference for Putin, has attracted significant controversy. Shaheen firmly stated that it was Putin, not Zelenskyy, who was the dictator and that Zelenskyy, democratically elected with higher favorability ratings, was not to blame.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/26/trump-ukraine-russia-mineral-deal-volodymyr-zelenskyy-vladimir-putin