Ukraine's mineral wealth: A key in Zelensky-Trump diplomacy

According to the "New York Times", fearing the potential loss of American military aid should the Republican candidate win, Kyiv is seeking new avenues to maintain support from the United States. President Volodymyr Zelensky underscores the importance of Ukrainian natural resources for U.S. economic interests.

The newspaper highlights that Zelensky "has no illusions about the tragic consequences of losing American military aid," which could become a reality following Donald Trump's victory. Given this risk, "Kyiv is clearly looking for ways to appeal to Trump's well-known transactional approach to foreign policy."

Ukraine boasts rich mineral resources: about 7% of the world's titanium reserves, 20% of graphite reserves, and 1.1 billion pounds of lithium, essential in the production of batteries for electric vehicles. Canadian consulting firm SecDev estimated in 2022 that the total value of Ukraine's mineral resources, including coal, gas, and oil, is about 26 trillion dollars.

The New York newspaper highlights that Ukrainian officials, British intelligence, and independent investigators report Russia has begun extracting certain resources from the occupied areas.

The newspaper notes that Zelensky is fully aware of the serious consequences that losing American military aid could bring, a potential outcome if Donald Trump wins. In light of this, Kyiv appears to be exploring strategies to address Trump’s familiar deal-based approach to foreign policy.

The President of Ukraine argues that supporting his country aligns with America's economic interests, as Ukraine "is rich in natural resources, including critical metals worth trillions of U.S. dollars." This position is intended to convince the U.S. administration to continue its support, leveraging Ukraine's natural wealth as a compelling argument.