Rare Earth Minerals and Security for Sale – Can Ukraine Win Over Washington?

Ukraine is adapting to a new geopolitical reality – moving from moral appeals to economic and security deals

6 February 2025

Oleksandr Kostryba

Future of Ukraine Fellow

Ukraine is reframing its case for Western support. The Victory Plan highlights Ukraine’s role as an economic and security partner – offering investment in critical minerals and a potential role in European defence. Can this strategy secure continued backing from Washington and Brussels?

Donald Trump’s return to the White House has prompted Ukraine to shift its messaging from a value-driven appeal to one emphasizing tangible gains and losses.

On 3 February, Trump signalled that US assistance to Ukraine might hinge on guaranteed access to its rare earth materials. While Trump has not detailed which resources he is seeking, an official in the President’s Office confirmed that sharing Ukraine’s critical minerals is a central component of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s ‘Victory Plan,’ a strategy first introduced in October 2024 and which has reportedly been presented to various foreign leaders, including Trump.

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Oleksandr Kostryba

Future of Ukraine Fellow

Future of Ukraine Fellow 2024 at Visegrad Insight. He is a researcher and public policy expert from Ukraine with seven years of experience in the field of public policy research, with a deep focus on the quality of governance reforms in the Central and Eastern Europe region. During the last three years, he has worked within the Center of Economic Recovery platform and EasyBusiness think tank, being involved in analytical and implementational projects for the improvement of the quality of governance in Ukraine. His deep focus is connected with digital transformation and EU integration of Ukraine. Currently, he is obtaining a PhD in public policy in the Doctoral School of Political Science at the Central European University.

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