US and Ukraine close to rare earth metals deal

A rare earths deal was not discussed during talks between the US and Ukrainian delegations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 11. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this.

According to Rubio, the deal was agreed upon by the finance ministers of both countries, but the issue was not raised during the talks in Jeddah. "Our presidents have instructed the appropriate members of their governments to complete this process," Rubio said when asked why the deal was not signed.

He also noted that the main focus during the talks will be on the issue of peace. "We have worked towards peace, but that does not mean that this agreement is not important. It is certainly a very important agreement, and we will note this in a joint statement," Rubio said.

After the talks, Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, also announced that the US and Ukrainian presidents had agreed to sign an agreement on the extraction of important mineral resources "as soon as possible."

Progress on the issue of peace

At the end of the meeting in Jeddah, the Ukrainian side agreed to a 30-day ceasefire. In turn, Washington said that it would immediately restore intelligence and military assistance to Kiev.

After the talks, Volodymyr Zelensky made a video address and thanked US President Donald Trump for understanding Ukraine's proposals. According to Reuters, Trump said that US and Russian representatives would meet on March 11 or 12 to discuss the ceasefire in Ukraine. He also announced that he would invite Ukrainian President Zelensky to the White House again. "Because we want to end the war in Ukraine," Trump said.

What is the significance of the deal?

Ukraine is one of the countries with the largest reserves of rare earth metals in the world, rich in uranium, lithium and other valuable minerals. If the deal is signed, it will be of strategic importance for the United States and Ukraine. For the United States, this agreement will create an opportunity to strengthen economic and military cooperation with Ukraine.

Officials from the two countries are expected to conclude negotiations on signing the deal in the near future. This could be an important step in restoring the Ukrainian economy and providing strategic resources for the United States. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!