Ukrainian soil contains around five percent of the world’s rare earth mineral deposits.

United States President Donald Trump is seeking a share of those resources in return for the billions Washington has sent to Ukraine to support its war with Russia.

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Trump is demanding Kyiv sign over the rights to about $500bn worth of that mineral wealth.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected the first draft of that deal, saying he can’t “sell the state”.

But at what point does selling the state start to look like saving the state? And how practical is it to extract resources from war-battered Ukraine?

Presenter: Cyril Vanier

Guests:

Peter Zalmayev – Executive director, Eurasia Democracy Initiative, political scientist and commentator

Anatol Lieven – Director, Eurasia programme at Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft

Theresa Fallon – Director, Centre for Russia Europe Asia Studies and a senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs