The president appears to have adopted a proposal first made last year that offers “strategic partners” such as the U.S. special access to Ukraine's glut of natural resources.

President Donald Trump on Monday indicated that he wants to reach an agreement with Ukraine to gain access to the country’s rare earth elements as a condition for continuing U.S. support for its war a

President Donald Trump said he wants Ukraine to give the US rare earth metals in exchange for aid in its war with Russia. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, the president said he wanted to get guarantees on a supply of "very valuable rare earth" materials from Ukraine in return for US military equipment.