Moscow and Washington have reportedly initiated discussions regarding the joint exploitation of rare earth elements and other investment projects, according to Kirill Dmitriev, special envoy for investments of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
As U.S. President Donald Trump intensifies his efforts to end the war in Ukraine, both Kyiv and Moscow are seeking to engage Washington in rare earth cooperation. Rare earths—critical minerals used in electronics, defense, and renewable energy technologies—have become a strategic priority in global geopolitics.
“Rare earths are an important area of cooperation, and of course, we’ve already begun talks about rare earths and other projects in Russia,” Dmitriev told the Russian newspaper Izvestia, noting that some companies have already expressed interest in these ventures. He did not disclose the names of the companies or provide further details.
President Putin first floated the idea of joint rare earth projects with the United States in February, highlighting Russia’s status as having the fifth-largest reserves of these strategic minerals.
However, political tensions surrounding Ukraine continue to complicate matters. In remarks made on Sunday, President Trump accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of trying to backtrack on a rare earths agreement between the two countries.
“We made a deal on rare earths, and now he’s saying, ‘well, you know, I want to renegotiate the deal’,” Trump said.
“He wants to be a member of NATO. Well, he was never going to be a member of NATO. He understands that, so, if he’s looking to renegotiate the deal, he’s got big problems,” he added.
Amid growing frustration, Trump also expressed anger at President Putin and threatened to impose secondary tariffs ranging from 25% to 50% on buyers of Russian oil. He warned that if Moscow obstructed his efforts to mediate an end to the conflict in Ukraine, he would respond with strong economic measures.
Source: ANA-MPA, Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
