Why does the U.S. want “rare earth” minerals in Ukraine?
Ukraine rejects US offer to access Ukrainian mineral resources Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he will “not sell the country”
Ukraine is a country rich in rare earth elements and other important minerals that are very important to the technology and energy industries, such as:
- Lithium: It is important for the production of batteries for electric vehicles and electronic devices. Lithium in Ukraine is considered one of the largest reserves in Europe.
- Uranium: It is very important for nuclear power plants. Ukraine also has the largest uranium reserves in Europe.
- Graphite: It is an important component in electric vehicle batteries, semiconductors and nuclear reactors. Ukraine used to be one of the world’s largest producers of graphite, with large mines estimated to contain a large amount of graphite.
- Titanium: In the aerospace industry, titanium is a very important component. It is estimated that Ukraine has the largest reserves of titanium in the world.
- Beryllium: If you want to produce computers and mobile phones And medical equipment. Beryllium is an essential part that cannot be missed. In Ukraine, there is a lot of beryllium.
These 5 examples are 5 out of 21 minerals that have been designated as important raw materials by the European Union, accounting for 5% of the world’s reserves.
The large amount of important minerals in Ukraine is why “Trump” said that this should be an exchange for the US supporting Ukraine in the war with Russia all along.
“I told (Ukraine) that I want rare earths worth 500 billion US dollars (about 17 trillion baht), and they have agreed to do so.”
However, from this statement, Ukrainian President “Volodymyr Zelensky” came out to deny this statement, saying “It was not a serious conversation” and I “can’t sell the country.”
Why does Trump want these rare earths?
A major part of the US’s interest in these rare earths is the result of competition with China, which controls most of the world’s minerals. Over the past 20 years, China has become the leader in rare earth smelting, accounting for 60-70% of global production.
Therefore, the United States is concerned both nationally and economically, as these minerals are essential for the production of advanced technologies.
The House Armed Forces Committee under the Biden administration stated that “to counter China’s increasing control over the supply chain, it is essential for the United States to secure its own sources of critical and strategic minerals.”
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