Trump excludes Ukraine joining NATO in return for rare earths

2025-04-07 03:29:15

(MENAFN) President Donald Trump has dismissed the idea of Ukraine gaining NATO membership in return for allowing the US to control its rare earth minerals. Speaking from the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump addressed reports that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky insisted on NATO support as a condition for agreeing to a rare-earths deal with the US.

Trump emphasized that NATO membership was never part of the agreement, stating that Russia has long opposed Ukraine’s NATO membership, which he suggested was a significant factor in the ongoing war.

Zelensky had previously included the minerals deal in his “victory plan” ahead of the US presidential election. However, the negotiations with the Trump administration had been stalled, and the most recent version of the deal was leaked last week. Critics have labeled the proposal as a colonial-style arrangement, with the US taking control of a substantial portion of Ukraine's natural resources, including hydrocarbons, to recover costs from its support for Ukraine. Trump warned Zelensky of serious consequences if he backed out of the deal.

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