As Americans grow weary of sending tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine to fund its defense, President Trump has offered President Zelensky a fair deal: Zelensky would receive financial support, and the U.S. would gain access to rare earth minerals crucial for national security.
This deal benefits both the U.S. and Europe by bringing the supply chain closer to home, taking it out of China’s hands. It also provides Zelensky the money he needs to continue the war, even as Europe scrambles to find the cash to replace U.S. support, which Trump is threatening to withhold.
While Zelensky would not receive an explicit U.S. security guarantee, he would have an implied guarantee, as the U.S. would station personnel in Ukraine to manage the resources and would likely defend its critical supply chain.
Initially, Zelensky rejected this deal. Trump was right: he offered Zelensky a fair deal—defense in exchange for rare earth minerals.
However, Zelensky rejected it because it wasn’t the free money he had grown accustomed to. The media and our European allies are now calling Trump Hitler because he proposed an exchange of value rather than giving away American taxpayer dollars.
As of now, despite badmouthing the U.S. and complaining about the deal, Zelensky is scheduled to meet President Trump at the White House, where a deal is expected to be reached.
In February 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed an agreement to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky concerning Ukraine’s critical and rare-earth mineral resources.
The deal entailed Ukraine allocating 50% of the revenue from the future monetization of its natural resources—including minerals, natural gas, oil, and other extractable materials—to a joint U.S.-Ukraine fund.
This fund would be managed collaboratively, with the United States holding the majority ownership stake.
The agreement aimed to provide the U.S. with a substantial share of Ukraine’s resource-related revenue, potentially valued up to $500 billion.
In exchange, the United States committed to maintaining a long-term financial commitment to Ukraine’s development, contributing to the country’s stability and prosperity.
However, the agreement did not include specific security guarantees for Ukraine, a point of contention for President Zelensky. He emphasized the necessity of U.S. security assurances to protect Ukraine against ongoing Russian aggression.
The proposed deal was framed by President Trump as a means to recoup the financial aid provided to Ukraine during the conflict with Russia.
He stated, “We’re gonna make sure everything goes well… Nobody’s going to be messing around with our people when we’re there.”
President Zelensky expressed concerns over the lack of concrete security guarantees in the agreement, stating, “I have questions, and we very much need honest answers because we are at war, and we have to understand what we can count on.”
While the deal does not include the specific security guarantees Zelensky had pushed for, U.S. support for Ukraine’s peace efforts was acknowledged.
Trump clarified that the U.S. would not provide security guarantees beyond limited terms but suggested that the presence of American workers in Ukraine would offer “automatic security.”
He also indicated that the U.S. would continue supplying military aid to Ukraine until a deal is reached with Russia.
The agreement was described as “preliminary” and required approval from Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, before it could be finalized.
The draft agreement outlined the terms of a joint Reconstruction Investment Fund, with the U.S. holding the “maximum percentage of ownership.”
The Ukrainian government would contribute 50% of the proceeds from the future monetization of all relevant state-owned natural resource assets to the U.S.-controlled fund.
In exchange, the U.S. would maintain a long-term financial commitment to Ukraine’s development.
The Trump-Zelensky mineral deal is a historic example of The Art of the Deal and highlights the difference between having a deal-making president and a compliant globalist who simply writes checks to causes.
The Ukraine mineral deal could ultimately end the war, or at the very least, ensure Ukraine can continue fighting, which is what both Europe and Kyiv want.
It provides the U.S. with critical minerals while striking a blow to China, converting U.S. aid into a long-term investment that benefits America.
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