Summary
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed willingness to strike a deal with Donald Trump, offering U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in exchange for resumed military aid.
Trump, who had paused aid, conditioned further support on securing Ukraine’s mineral resources, including uranium, titanium, lithium, and graphite.
This aligns with Ukraine’s “Victory Plan” to leverage its natural resources for economic stability.
The proposed deal is expected to dominate talks when Zelensky and Trump meet next week, as Trump aims to end the war within six months.
Zelensky knowing that he is in a shit position because Putin owns the white house now. So having to offer up what is otherwise a shitty deal to try keeping Trump from helping putin further than his current chaos has.
Not quite as shitty as it looks, for him. Not sure if anybody told Trump yet, but the richest Ukrainian mineral resource deposits are all in the east, under the territory occupied by the Russians.
Trump may fear Musk more than Putin right now.
Another negative effect will be other allies wondering WTF.
I mean, everyone understands what’s happening. The US is in the process of falling to fascism. Our soft power is in the process of evaporating. This is just that playing out. Our (former?) allies are going to start looking for pragmatic choices that align with their best interests; this is just that.