U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is attempting to back out of a critical minerals deal, warning that such a move would bring serious repercussions.
"He's trying to back out of the rare earth deal and if he does that he’s got some problems, big, big problems," Trump told reporters.
The remarks come amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and negotiations involving rare earth metals, a sector where the U.S. is striving to reduce reliance on China. Rare earth minerals are crucial for high-tech industries, including electronics, defense systems, and renewable energy technologies.
Trump’s comments also come as Ukraine continues to seek NATO membership, a goal that has been met with skepticism by Trump. “He wants to be a member of NATO, but he's never going to be a member of NATO. He understands that,” Trump added.
Negotiations over rare earth metals have been a focal point of U.S.-Ukraine discussions, with Russia also making offers to jointly explore rare earth deposits with the U.S. under a separate economic agreement. The outcome of these negotiations could have significant implications for the global supply chain and geopolitical alignments.
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