U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the United States would soon sign a rare earth mineral deal with Ukraine, highlighting the country’s significant reserves of critical minerals.
The announcement came shortly before Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education. He also expressed optimism about a potential ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“Our country is doing very well. Things are—as you can see—doing quite well,” Trump stated.
Boosting Domestic and Global Critical Mineral Production
Trump revealed that he had signed an executive order to increase domestic production of critical minerals and rare earth elements, which are essential for advanced technologies, defense systems, and renewable energy.
“Moments ago, I signed an executive order to dramatically increase production of critical minerals and rare earths. It’s a big thing in this country. We’re also signing agreements in various locations to unlock rare earths and minerals, and lots of other things all over the world, but in particular, Ukraine,” Trump said.
According to the World Economic Forum, China dominates the global refining process of rare earth minerals, making it the largest supplier worldwide. The United States, India, and Germany are among the major importers, while the U.S., Chile, Switzerland, and Australia have significantly increased exports of critical minerals in recent years.
Ukraine’s Role in Rare Earth Supplies
Ukraine is believed to have large deposits of rare earth elements, which are crucial for high-tech industries, including defense and renewable energy. By partnering with Ukraine, the U.S. aims to reduce reliance on Chinese-controlled supply chains.
“We’re doing very well with regard to Ukraine and Russia, and one of the things we are doing is signing a deal very shortly with respect to rare earth with Ukraine. They have tremendous value in rare earth minerals. We appreciate that,” Trump said.
Hope for Ceasefire in Russia-Ukraine War
Trump also shared details of his recent phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expressing hope that the war could soon come to an end.
“We spoke yesterday with President Putin and President Zelenskyy, and we would love to see this come to an end. I think we’re doing pretty well in that regard. Hopefully, we can save thousands of people a week from dying. They’re dying so unnecessarily, and I believe we’ll get it done. We’ll see what happens, but I believe we’ll get it done,” he stated.
White House Shifts Focus to Long-Term Peace Agreement
At a press briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the administration had moved beyond just the economic minerals deal.
“It means the minerals deal was that first set of framework that you all saw in that very public meeting with President Zelenskyy and President Trump in the Oval Office. We are now focused on a long-term peace agreement,” Leavitt explained.
Honoring the Legacy of Patrick Henry
In addition to economic and foreign policy announcements, Trump signed a proclamation honoring the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry’s famous speech at the Second Virginia Convention.
“I just want to announce that I signed a proclamation a few moments ago honoring the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry’s famous speech to the Second Virginia Convention, in which he declared the very well-known, very famous words: ‘Give me liberty or give me death,'” Trump said.
Trump’s announcement of the rare earth mineral deal with Ukraine marks another strategic move to strengthen U.S. energy independence and reduce reliance on China, while his optimism about a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire signals a potential shift in global diplomacy.