EU won’t demand access to mineral resources from Ukraine

European Council President António Costa said that European Union member states will not demand any mineral resources from Ukraine in return for providing assistance.

Costa said in an interview with Suspilne media outlet that over the past three years, the European Union has been a major donor to Ukraine. “This is being done both for Ukrainians and for European security.”

Regarding Ukraine’s agreement with the United States on rare earth metals, the European Council President emphasized that Ukraine is a sovereign state. He stressed that Ukraine “has the right to manage its territory and conduct negotiations at the international level.”

The topic of mineral resources has become contentious in Ukraine’s relations with the United States. President Donald Trump stated he wants compensation for American aid to Ukraine during the full-scale war against Russia.