Ukraine's Critical Minerals and the Path to Peace

Ukrainians are learning the transactional nature of the Trump administration as the US president revealed a “critical” (pun intended) part of his plan for ending the three-year old conflict.  Media reports say that Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, met with Ukrainian President Zelensky on Feb. 12. The two discussed a minerals deal between Kyiv and Washington that would provide Ukraine with a post-war “security shield”.  At stake are $500 billion in rare earth minerals that Trump wants before offering a…