In Europe and Kyiv, it is believed that Zelensky made a mistake by offering Ukraine’s minerals to the U.S. – Financial Times

Volodymyr Zelensky made a strategic mistake by offering U.S. President Donald Trump rights to extract Ukrainian mineral resources, including rare earth metals, without providing further specifics.

This was reported by Financial Times, citing European and Ukrainian officials.

A high-ranking Ukrainian source told the publication that Zelensky should have made it “absolutely clear” to Washington that Ukrainian resources were linked “to future guarantees of [American] security assistance.”

“This was written as bait for Trump—that’s obvious. But the lack of details meant that Trump could essentially name his own price. Some in Zelensky’s inner circle regret how this was handled… They lost control of the situation,” a European official stated.

Now, Zelensky’s team is trying to come up with an attractive counterproposal.

Trump’s approach has also enraged European officials. At the Munich Security Conference, some compared it to “mafia-style extortion,” loan-sharking, and colonialism.

“It’s one thing to say, ‘We will help you liberate your land and then extract resources from underground.’ It’s something entirely different to demand, ‘Pay this bill for the aid we have already given,’” another European official said.

Earlier, Western media reported that the economic compensation agreement proposed by Washington to Kyiv included not only control over Ukraine’s critical minerals but also extended to everything from ports and infrastructure to oil, gas, and the country’s broader resource base.

They also reported that the U.S. Treasury Secretary gave Zelensky only one hour to sign the mineral resources agreement.