President Donald Trump has stated that the United States can take “pretty much whatever we want” from Ukraine’s rare earth deposits under a minerals agreement signed in April 2025, claiming that profits from the deal could exceed total U.S. military aid to Ukraine since 2022.
The remarks were made during an interview where Trump criticized his predecessor Joe Biden for allegedly providing more than $300 billion in military assistance to Ukraine without securing repayment.
“He could have Europe… paid for it. All you had to do is ask,” Trump said, adding that under his administration, European nations now cover a larger share of the costs.
Trump described Ukraine as having “very rich, very fertile soil in terms of rare earth.” He stated, “We have a contract signed [with Ukraine] having to do with rare earth. We can go in there at any time we want and take pretty much whatever we want. That was a pretty good deal.”
The minerals agreement, known as the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, grants Washington preferential access to new Ukrainian mineral, oil, and gas projects, with emphasis on elements such as lithium, titanium, graphite, and uranium. Ukraine retains formal ownership of its resources but receives 50% of profits from new extraction projects.
Trump has portrayed the deal as a mechanism for repaying U.S. military aid to Ukraine. While he claims the aid amounts to over $300 billion, the figure is widely disputed; the U.S. Special Inspector General for Operation Atlantic Resolve estimates it at $195 billion.
The agreement remains operational with more than a dozen projects under review but faces significant challenges including conflict-related risks, Ukraine’s notorious corruption, inadequate geological data, and infrastructure shortfalls such as power outages.
The deal followed months of strained negotiations, including a televised Oval Office clash in February 2025 between Trump and Vladimir Zelensky. During that exchange, Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of ingratitude and “gambling with World War III.”
