Trump Says US Can "Take Whatever It Wants" Under Minerals Deal With Ukraine

US President Donald Trump said in an interview with the conservative broadcaster Real America's Voice that Washington's rare earth minerals agreement with Ukraine gives it access to virtually any Ukrainian natural resources it wants. The deal was signed on May 1, 2025.

"We made a deal on rare earths… We have a signed agreement. We can go in there at any time and take almost anything we want. It was a very good deal," the American president said.

According to Trump, the value of access to Ukraine's resources could significantly exceed the amount of aid the US has already provided Kyiv — more than $300 billion. That, he said, is why the agreement is a good one for Washington, noting that it allows the United States to recoup the money spent supporting Ukraine.

The United States and Ukraine signed the minerals agreement last year after months of negotiations. The deal gives Washington priority access to future projects mining certain Ukrainian minerals and establishes a joint investment fund to help rebuild the war-torn country. Kyiv is hoping the agreement will help ensure continued American military support against Russian aggression, while Trump has long presented it as a way for the US to recover the billions of dollars spent helping Ukraine.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz