February 27, 2025

DETROIT (AP) — The United States will have access to Ukraine’s critical mineral wealth, including key ingredients for the clean energy transition, under a deal the two countries are expected to sign later this week.

President Donald Trump, who has pushed for the agreement, has long been critical of a transition to green energies, which include wind and solar power, along with electrification of transportation and appliances, all things that require the various minerals the U.S. will have access to in this deal. So if Trump is against this trend, why go after these minerals?

The quick answer could be they’re used in a lot of other things, too. Here’s a closer look:

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