Ukraine's Lithium Belt Eyes Economic Revival

With an agreement in the works that would give the United States access to Ukraine's mineral wealth, residents of Kopanky, home to one of the largest lithium deposits in Europe, are cautiously optimistic. Some villagers see the potential for economic benefits. "It wouldn't be bad. Jobs would come to the village. There are no jobs now," said Ira Motza, a resident of the village. Amid diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s three-year full-scale war against Kyiv, villagers in Kopank, in the Kirovohrad region of central Ukraine, are hoping that peace…