Independent: Empty Promise: Mapped: Where are Ukraine’s rare earth mineral resources and why does Trump want them?

V Zelenski, in 2024, already put the offer forward: he offered then-President Biden a “Victory Plan” which contained access for the US to the Ukrainian rare earths.
Now, President Trump wants these rare earth deposits in exchange for future help. European leaders cry foul.
The problem with this deal: most of the rare earth deposits are located in the Russian occupied area of Eastern Ukraine. The rest of Ukraine has only little valuable deposits.
Another problem: many good mines in Western Ukraine have been sold already, to foreign investors or to Ukrainian oligarchs.
What’s left will not please Donald Trump and expose V Selenski again for promises not kept.