Trump signals Ukraine’s rare earth minerals deal essential to support - February 21, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday pushed Kyiv to sign a critical minerals agreement while Washington pursues talks on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump continued his criticism of Zelenskyy and said that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s trip to Kyiv last week to try to secure a deal to access Ukraine’s minerals was “a wasted trip.” What are rare earth minerals and why does the Trump administration want them as part of a deal to end the war? For insights, we speak with Michelle Michot Foss, Fellow in Energy, Minerals & Materials, at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.