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By Jon Jackson and Gabe Whisnant
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On Monday, President Donald Trump expressed his desire to strike an agreement with Ukraine to secure access to the country's rare earth materials as a condition for continued U.S. support in its conflict with Russia.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump noted that the U.S. had provided more military and economic aid to Ukraine than its European allies.
He said, "We're looking to make a deal with Ukraine where they will secure what we're providing them with their rare earth materials and other resources."
Read More on U.S.
Newsweek contacted the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs via email on Monday for comment.
Why It Matters
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump criticized the billions of dollars former President Joe Biden's administration spent in supporting Ukraine and has said that if he were at the negotiating table with Putin and Zelensky, the war between the two nations would end "within 24 hours."
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Though there has been uncertainty regarding how much American aid Kyiv will receive under Trump, Reuters on Monday reported U.S. arms shipments to Ukraine resumed over the weekend after a brief pause.
Meanwhile, despite long-standing allegations of a close relationship between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the American president recently called on Putin to make a deal to end the war with Ukraine or face more sanctions from the United States and its allies.
What To Know
Trump on Monday indicated that he had received assurances from the Ukrainian government that they would be open to an arrangement granting the U.S. access to the country's rare earth elements, which are essential for the modern high-tech economy.
Elsewhere in his comments to reporters, Trump said discussions have been taking place on how to bring an end to the war launched by Putin on Ukraine.
"We made a lot of progress on Russia, Ukraine," Trump said. "We'll see what happens. We're going to stop that ridiculous war."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told The Associated Press over the weekend that any talks without Ukraine would not bring a suitable conclusion to the conflict.
"They may have their own relations, but talking about Ukraine without us—it is dangerous for everyone," said Zelensky, who acknowledged his team had been in contact with the Trump administration on a "general level."
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday of wanting Ukraine's rare earth materials as a condition for continuing American support: "I want to have security of rare earth."
He added, "We're putting in hundreds of billions of dollars. They have great rare earth. And I want security of the rare earth, and they're willing to do it."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told The Associated Press on Saturday of Trump's involvement in peace talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war: "We need to work more on this."
What Happens Next
Trump has indicated that he will communicate with Zelensky and Putin in the future about negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Update 02/03/25 3:07 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to include more information.
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