The president appears to have adopted a proposal first made last year that offers “strategic partners” such as the U.S. special access to Ukraine's glut of natural resources.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he wanted Ukraine to supply the country with rare earths in return for financially supporting Kyiv's war effort against Russia.

President Donald Trump on Monday indicated that he wants to reach an agreement with Ukraine to gain access to the country’s rare earth elements as a condition for continuing U.S. support for its war against Russia.