Which minerals Ukraine get wey catch US eyes and why

Kyiv and Washington dey close to signing a deal wey go give US access to Ukraine mineral deposits.

Dis na according to Ukrainian minister wey tok say dem dey close to finalise di deal.

Ukraine bin dey face growing pressure from di US administration to sign di deal and e don end up to cause kasala between di US and Ukrainian presidents.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky first include di offer of an agreement on minerals for di so-called "victory plan" wey im present to Donald Trump last September.

Di idea na to offer Trump a strong reason for US to continue to dey support Ukraine.

Olga Stefanishyna, deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, tok for X say tok "don dey very constructive, wit nearly all key details finalised".

She add say, "we dey committed to completing dis very-very fast to proceed wit signature".

Which minerals Ukraine get?

Graphite

Kyiv estimate say about 5% of di world "critical raw materials" dey for Ukraine. Dis include some 19 million tonnes of proven reserves of graphite.

Di Ukrainian Geological Survey state agency say graphite make di nation "one of di top five leading countries" for di supply of di mineral.

Dem dey use Graphite to make batteries for electric vehicles.

Lithium andTitanium

Ukraine also get third of all European lithium deposits, di key component for current batteries.

And bifor di Russian invasion, Ukraine global share of titanium production, a lightweight metal wey dem dey use for construction of evritin from aeroplanes to power stations na 7%.

Earth metals

Furthermore, Ukraine get significant deposits of rare earth metals. Dis na a group of 17 elements wey dem dey use to produce weapons, wind turbines, electronics and oda products wey dey important for modern world.

Some of di mineral deposits dey seized by Russia. According to Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine economy minister, resources worth $350bn (£277bn) remain for di territories wey dem occupy today.

For 2022, SecDev, a geopolitical risk consultancy wey dey Canada bin conduct evaluation wey establish say Russia don occupy 63% of Ukrainian coal mines, and half of manganese, caesium, tantalum and rare earth deposits.

Dr Robert Muggah, principal of SecDev, say such minerals add "strategic and economic dimension" for Russia aggression.

By seizing dem, e say, Moscow deny access revenue for Ukraine, expand dia own resource base and dey influence global supply chains.

Why di US want di minerals?

Critical minerals "na di foundation of di 21st Century economy", Dr Muggah explain.

Dem be key to renewable energy, military applications and industrial infrastructure and play "a growing strategic role for geopolitics and geoeconomics", e tok.

Additionally, di US dey keen on a deal for Ukraine mineral resources becos e wan reduce dependency on China wey dey control 75% of rare earth deposits for di world, according to di Geological Investment Group.

For December, China ban di export of some rare earth minerals to di US afta dem previously limit mineral exports to di US di previous year.

On Monday, ahead of a visit wit French President Emmanuel Macron, White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz tell US news outlet NewsNation say di deal na "about growing di pie economically and binding di US and Ukraine togeda for di future".

Wetin we know about di negotiations so far?

Bifor Stefanishyna tok say a deal dey close get several points wey no gel.

Last Wednesday, Zelensky reject US demands for a reported 50% share of dia rare earth minerals wey Trump say go reflect di amount of aid di US don provide to Ukraine during di war wit Russia.

"I no fit sell our state," e tok.

Di provisions of a second draft of di deal on Sunday bin appear to dey even tougher dan di first document.

Instead of 50/50 revenue split, di revised draft suggest say di US want full control, Zelensky tell journalists for press conference on Sunday.

Trump tok earlier dis month say di US military and economic aid to Ukraine amount to about $500bn (£396bn), and e wan di US to get access to Ukrainian minerals of dat value.

Howeva, Zelensky don tok say di American assistance so far get total of around $100bn (£79bn).

Kyiv don also insist say di aid dem don receive until now na grant and not a credit, and so Ukraine no get obligation to return anytin.

Zelenzky also no want any deal to include security guarantees.

On Monday, former UK prime minister Boris Johnson call an agreement for US access to Ukraine minerals "di great prize".

E reject suggestions say di deal na "rip-off" and "wetin di Ukrainians get from dis na United States commitment under Donald Trump to a free, sovereign and secure Ukraine".

Some commentators don describe di US offer as "colonial" but Kyiv dey interested in joint exploration of dia resources.

Developing dis mineral resources dey very difficult and expensive, according to Iryna Suprun, chief executive of di Geological Investment Group, a mining advisory firm wey dey Ukraine.

She argue say if dem fit attract American investors to develop dia natural resources, e go dey highly beneficial for di kontri economy.

"We go get technologies wey our mining industry dey lack so much," Ms Suprun explain. "We go get capital. Dat mean more jobs, tax payments. We go receive revenue from di development of mineral deposits."

Putin propose Russia-US partnership on rare minerals

Meanwhile On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin say e dey open to offer di US access to Russia rare minerals in order to counter a potential deal between di US and Ukraine.

For a televised interview on Russian state-owned broadcaster Rossiya 1, Putin say e go include access to Russia "new territories" wey e don seize and occupy for Ukraine since dia invasion three years ago.