The #Ukraine minerals deal is a perfect metaphor for #Trump’s #ForeignPolicy

Trump isn’t the only president who knows a bad deal when he sees one.

Volodymyr #Zelensky’s refusal to sign away nearly half of his country’s rare earth #minerals for very few future guarantees is one of many reasons why Trump has been driven into a rage at his counterpart in Kyiv.

#Russia #Putin #authoritarianism #democracy #allies #extortion #geopolitics #StandWithUkraine
cnn.com/2025/02/21/politics/tr…

The Ukrainian president has made clear that exploiting his country’s precious geographical & #energy resources will be one way to rebuild its economy & cities after the eventual end of the war. But the offer tendered by #Trump’s Treasury Secy #ScottBessent, while being lauded by US officials as a generous ladder to prosperity for #Ukraine, is not really a “deal” at all.

#Russia #Putin #authoritarianism #democracy #allies #extortion #geopolitics #StandWithUkraine

However, it provides insights into #Trump’s view of #ForeignPolicy & his perception of the war after he reversed…Biden’s support for the invaded party & threw his weight behind the invader.

As w/his plan to relocate all #Palestinians out of #Gaza so the #US can build a “riviera” of beach resorts, Trump’s motives appear to be rooted more in extracting the best potential monetary return for the US than in equitably solving a murderous conflict that endangers the world.

#WarProfiteer #Ukraine

…#Trump’s transactional approach represents a shattering of #ForeignPolicy values pursued by the #UnitedStates for decades, including the principle that mighty nations should not invade smaller ones, which Washington enshrined in the #UnitedNations charter.

#Ukraine #Russia #Putin #authoritarianism #extortion #WarProfiteer #democracy #allies #geopolitics #StandWithUkraine

Still, the #Trump White House says #Zelensky *has no choice* but to sign the pact to *pay back* US taxpayers for Kyiv’s lifeline — even though it contains no assurances that Washington will keep the #aid coming in the future.

#Ukraine #Russia #Putin #authoritarianism #extortion #WarProfiteer #democracy #allies #geopolitics #StandWithUkraine

…The clash over the rare earth #minerals agreement comes amid a serious deterioration of #US relations w/ #Zelensky, driven by #Trump’s adoption of #RussianPropaganda on the war, including the false charges that the Ukrainian leader started the conflict & that he is a dictator. The autocrat in this situation is #Putin, who has run #Russia for 25 years, imprisoned his opponents, crushed the #FreePress & held sham elections. And he started the #war.

#Ukraine #geopolitics #StandWithUkraine

…The events of the last few days, which have left #Ukraine feeling betrayed, US #allies alarmed, & even some Republican senators outraged, have renewed debate about #Trump’s motives….

Is the president being driven by personal animosity toward #Zelensky? Or contempt for a smaller nation in need, as he seeks to reorient #US #ForeignPolicy to promote a spheres of influence system controlled at #superpower summits by #strongmen like himself, #Putin & Chinese President #Xi Jinping?

#geopolitics

…The original rare earth #minerals“deal” focused on compensating the #US for PAST #aid to Kyiv, & specified the natural resources that would form part of the deal on over a dozen pages…. #Zelensky said Wed the contract asked for the US to own, or receive revenue from, 50% of #Ukraine rare earth mineral mining & other natural resource sectors. The sources said the document said it asked for compensation not for future US assistance to Ukraine, but for previous aid.

#geopolitics #StandWithUkraine

This is like bringing a casserole to a friend who lost a loved one when an arson torched their house, & then a month or so later telling them they owe you $50 for it.

#UnitedStates #Trump #Ukraine #Zelensky #Russia #Putin #authoritarianism #extortion #WarProfiteer #democracy #allies #geopolitics #StandWithUkraine

#BreakingNews

#Ukraine & the #UnitedStates have agreed to a framework for an expansive #minerals deal, acc/to a Ukrainian ofcl & another person familiar w/the matter. The White House has not confirmed the agreement has not commented.

The #Trump admin has pushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr #Zelensky to repay US #war #aid with such an agreement, amid broader pressure to come to a *peace* deal w/ #Russia.

#extortion #WarProfiteering #authoritarianism #geopolitics #USpol #StandWithUkraine