Politico: Kyiv's attempt to attract Trump with rare earth metals ended in political failure.

Ukraine tried to use its reserves of rare earth metals to gain an advantage in negotiations with Donald Trump, but this attempt was unsuccessful. It turns out that the US president is only interested in Ukraine from a financial point of view, rather than for ensuring stability in the region.

Initially, the agreement provided for access to Ukrainian resources, NATO membership, and Western support. However, now only useful minerals remain, which have become a problem for the country.

Analyst Volodymyr Landa notes that this agreement limits Ukraine's autonomy and may complicate its accession to the European Union. Furthermore, if needed, the US can track down investors who could assist in the country's recovery.

Official Kyiv is refraining from openly criticizing the agreement, as it does not want to anger Trump. Thus, Ukrainian officials are trying to diplomatically adjust the terms of the agreement, maintaining a balance between interests and practicality.

One of the key issues is the actual amount of Ukraine's critical mineral reserves. However, the assessment of these reserves was conducted using outdated methods, so additional exploration is necessary to attract investors.

Extracting these resources requires large investments. Opening a lithium mine would cost about 350 million dollars. Companies are seeking global partners who would finance projects and be economically reliable.

The agreement stipulated that the US would be partners ensuring the security and investments needed for Ukraine's recovery and defense. However, it is unclear whether any real security guarantees are in place for Ukraine.

Recently, information was leaked regarding a minerals agreement from the US, so officials will be subjected to polygraph tests.