Ukraine's Mineral Rights Entwined In Deal For American Aid

ZHYTOMYR REGION, UKRAINE - FEBRUARY 25: Drag-line excavator mines rare earth materials on Ukrainian soil on February 25, 2025 in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine. Despite the ongoing war, many mining companies across the country have continued their operations, extracting resources such as titanium, graphite, and beryllium. Ukraine and the United States have been negotiating a deal that would pay back American aid with revenue from Ukraine's minerals and other natural resources. Ukrainian President Zelensky has been reluctant to sign such a deal, saying recently that he is "not signing something that 10 generations of Ukrainians will have to repay." (Photo by Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)