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Posted on 05/02/2025 5:55:20 AM PDT by delta7
The minerals deal was enough to entice President Donald Trump to cave, siding with Kiev and permitting the first US sale of military equipment to Ukraine since taking office. Trump has been extremely critical of Zelensky since the war began, consistently warning Zelensky that he has blood on his hands and must end the war.
Congress approved a $50 million defense package to Ukraine through direct commercial sales (DCS). Trump is a businessman first and foremost—the mineral deal had to be approved before he would approve of any aid package. The United States now has preferential rights to extract minerals from Ukraine. This will provide the US with rare earth elements that are essential for technology and defense at a time when China is withholding sales.
Ukraine retains full ownership over its subsoil and natural resources. Any extraction must be approved by Kyiv. The deal will establish a joint Reconstruction Investment Fund—50% of revenue from licenses for Ukrainian minerals and oil will go into this fund that is intended to aid Ukraine. “Together with the United States, we will create a fund that will attract Western investments to our country,” Ukraine’s Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said. “We will manage this fund jointly with the United States. Neither party will have a majority vote, reflecting an equal partnership between Ukraine and the United States.”
Svyrydenko believes that the US will entice others to invest into the fund, which is supported by the US International Finance Cooperation (DFC). “DFC will help us attract investments and technologies from funds and companies in both the US and the EU and other countries that support our fight against the Russian enemy,” Svyrydenko said. She also noted that the first decade of profits and revenues will only be invested in Ukraine.
“In recognition of the significant financial and material support that the people of the United States have provided to the defense of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion, this economic partnership positions our two countries to work collaboratively and invest together to ensure that our mutual assets, talents, and capabilities can accelerate Ukraine’s economic recovery,” the US Treasury Department stated.
While the Kremlin has not officially commented at the time of this writing, there are statements coming from Moscow condemning this deal. Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, believes Trump is taking advantage of Ukraine by strategically asking it to “pay for U.S. aid with mineral resources.” He declared that “Ukraine is a vanishing country” and believes the US is simply profiting off of a broken nation. Sergei Markov stated that prolonging military spending will only prolong the war and deter any diplomatic efforts.
China controls 75% of the world’s rare earth minerals, and the US has been desperate to secure new reserves in the wake of the trade war. Ukraine’s mineral deposits have been largely untouched up until now. There were strategic reasons for the US to sign this deal, but it remains to be seen whether this move will lead to further involvement in this perpetual proxy war.
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When does the Left start screaming that Trump is killing Russians???
https://defence-blog.com/trump-administration-approves-first-arms-sale-to-ukraine/
Probably the Patriot missiles or batteries Kiev requested to buy a few weeks ago.
Cave? Sigh.
Something stinks. When does America get the money? They are paying Ukraine as it is to stay alive. The mineral deal means Ukraine gets all the money, but the mineral can’t be mined until the war is over.
So when does America get its money to pay for the weapons? There may not even be an Ukraine in the future.
Yes, Ukraine is so evil for defending itself from a Russian invasion. What right do they have to resist the Russian subjugation of their country?
It’s going to be interesting to see what narratives the Putinbots come up with to explain why Trump isn’t abandoning Ukraine.
Sending arms to Ukraine puts even more blood on US’s hands. I am all for humanitarian relief, but more weapons to be flushed down the Ukie toilet is madness.
Everyone knows the Ukies now have absolutely no chance of winning.
United States government squanders $7 trillion per year. That is 7 thousand X billions of dollars. Or, 7 billion@millions of dollars.
Now were talking about a deal of $50 million for 0.0007143% of annual government outlays.
Let’s put aside for a moment the fact that the country is hurtling towards insolvency at the tune of $2 trillion per year, and consider whether this is the time and the place to save 0.0007143% of expenditures?
Does this pointed out countless programs that exceed $50 million but none of them come close to the geostrategic importance of the survival of Ukraine.
Here is a list of the wars that Russia has engaged in since the fall of the wall:
List of Wars of Russian Aggression Since 1989
The Russian Federation has engaged in several conflicts since 1989 that are widely characterized as acts of aggression or military intervention against neighboring states or within its own borders to suppress separatist movements. Below is a chronological list of such wars, based on the provided sources:
Transnistria War (1992)
Russia supported and intervened on behalf of separatists in the Transnistria region of Moldova, leading to the region’s de facto separation from Moldova.
War in Abkhazia (1992–1993)
Russia backed Abkhaz separatists against the Georgian government, providing military support and direct intervention, resulting in Abkhazia’s breakaway from Georgia.
First Chechen War (1994–1996)
Russia launched a large-scale military operation to suppress the independence movement in Chechnya, leading to a brutal conflict within its own territory.
Second Chechen War (1999–2009)
Russia renewed its military campaign in Chechnya to reassert federal control, involving significant violence and human rights abuses.
Russo-Georgian War (2008)
Russia invaded Georgia under the pretext of protecting populations in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, both separatist regions, and subsequently recognized their independence, effectively occupying them.
Russo-Ukrainian War (2014–present)
In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea and supported armed separatist movements in eastern Ukraine, leading to ongoing conflict. On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, escalating the war dramatically.
Russian Military Intervention in Syria (2015–present)
Russia intervened militarily in the Syrian Civil War to support the Assad regime, conducting airstrikes and deploying ground forces, significantly altering the course of the war.
Other Notable Interventions (Post-2014)
Russia has also been involved in military operations or has provided significant support to governments or factions in the Central African Republic, Mali, and Burkina Faso, often through mercenary groups like the Wagner Group, though these are less universally recognized as direct wars of aggression by Russia.
Summary Table
Conflict Years Location Nature of Aggression
Transnistria War 1992 Moldova/Transnistria Support and intervention for separatists
War in Abkhazia 1992–1993 Georgia/Abkhazia Military support for separatists
First Chechen War 1994–1996 Chechnya (Russia) Suppression of independence movement
Second Chechen War 1999–2009 Chechnya (Russia) Renewed suppression of separatism
Russo-Georgian War 2008 Georgia Invasion and occupation of separatist regions
Russo-Ukrainian War 2014–present Ukraine Annexation, support for separatists, full invasion
Syrian Civil War Intervention 2015–present Syria Military intervention in support of Assad regime
These conflicts are widely cited as examples of Russian military aggression or interventionism in the post-Soviet era
What right do they have to resist the Russian subjugation of their country?
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They blew their chance in violating the Minsk agreements, and shelling the ethnic Russian provinces since 2014 was the last straw…..and rejecting three Peace agreements put the nail in their corrupted coffin.
“ to the last Ukrainian “, as we are witnessing….so be it.
Still repeating Russian lies, I see. As has been repeatedly stated, Ukraine fulfilled its obligations in the Minsk agreements to grant autonomy to Donbas and was preparing for the required referendum. Russia, on the other hand, violated the agreements by not withdrawing its forces, by not handing over the border to Ukraine, and by blocking Ukraine's planned referendum. There was no shelling of civilian populations in Donbas. And finally, Russia's demands in the so-called Istanbul Peace agreement were so great that it would have amounted to total surrender and would have meant the end of Ukraine as an independent country. Ukraine was never going to agree to that.
The blood is on Russia’s hands. Russia started started the war and Russia wants to keep it going until they completely subjugate Ukraine.
If we stop providing arms to Ukraine, the Russians will conquer the whole country with the ensuing bloodbath, not to mention the return to virtual slavery.
When the Democrats cut off the funding for the South Vietnamese, it didn’t end the killing. At that point, the killing was just getting started.
President Trump did not cave to anybody and this Armstrong is a jerk.
I’m glad to see some intelligent people with a moral compass still commenting about this Ukraine war situation. I totally support Trump’s efforts to resolve it no matter which side he puts pressure on. I’m okay if economic pressure does it but I know Putin probably only responds ultimately to military setbacks and Military pressure.
"The ethnic Russian provinces" voted for independence from Russia in 1991.
We're not seeing a penny from the minerals deal until this war is over. So, anything we're giving to Ukraine is adding to the debt.
There is no “deal” It’s a nebulous agreement to exploit unproven reserves based out of date Soviet guesses. More great work from Armstrong’s computer.
And, if get nothing back for 10 years, it's very possible a future President won't even bother working to see that the deal is honored.
Any weapons sales to Ukraine is merely adding to our debt since Ukraine can't pay it back now.
Russia wants to protect its interests too. Like America they are sending forces around the world to protect their interests. The war in Ukraine, I believe, is a different type of war than a war of aggression, to subdue foreign lands based on some kind of imperial charter like a manifest destiny. It’s a war of provocation -— provocation from NATO, the West, and the Ukrainian neo Nazis that want purity of language. I see provocation the more dangerous threat, a threat similar to the Cuban Missle Crisis that was a danger to JFK and America in the 60s. To my thinking the Russians got jerked around with Minsk 1, Minsk 2 and the Istanbul peace talks. Boris Johnson said go to war in Istanbul after they came to an agreement. But if you look at the origins, NATO and the US had promised not to go into the Eastern bloc countries in 1991 under Baker...and they did exactly that. I think the eventual goal of the West was to carve up Russia like a rump steak, just like they did in Ukraine. Russia was “a gas station posing as a country,” to quote their words. And with the color revolution in the Ukraine and Georgia, I think Russia has had enough. They went in to protect protect themselves from the threat of the West. And it’s an existential threat to the Russians and that is why recruitment is skyrocketing. I heard they are getting 30 thousand men a month and have created 2 new armies. Ukraine, on the other hand, has to use press gangs to get their men to send to the front.
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