EU proposes its own deal on minerals to Ukraine – European commissioner

European Commissioner for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy Stéphane Séjourné has stated that he proposed a mutually beneficial agreement on Ukraine’s critical minerals to Ukrainian officials during his visit to the city of Kyiv with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

As reported by French news agency AFP, Ukraine’s wealth of natural resources, including manganese, titanium, graphite and lithium, has become the subject of tense talks between Kyiv and Washington. US President Donald Trump insists that the United States deserves to "get its money back" for assisting in Ukraine’s defence against the Russian invasion.

Séjourné stated that he had proposed an alternative potential agreement to Ukrainian officials during his visit to Kyiv.

"Twenty-one out of the thirty critical materials that Europe needs can be supplied by Ukraine as part of a win-win partnership," he said after the meeting, which took place on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

"The added value that Europe offers is that we will never ask for an agreement that is not mutually beneficial," he added.

On 24 February, US President Donald Trump stated that he was ready to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House "this week or next week" to sign an agreement on the use of mineral resources.

Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna reported that Ukrainian and US negotiators were in the final stages of talks on the mineral resources agreement.

During a press conference on 23 February, Zelenskyy stated that the agreement with the United States on the use of Ukrainian natural resources must include clear security guarantees from the US.