Vladimir Putin hints at offering rare-earth minerals deal to US after Trump Zelensky spat

Russian President Vladimir Putin dropped a hint about offering rare-earth minerals deal to US after Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky failed to reach an agreement on their supposed deal following a massive argument between the two at the White House.

In a video that has gone viral on social media now, Putin is seen saying that Russia will be “open to cooperation” with its American partners, including private companies.

“We will be open to cooperation with our American partners, and when I say ‘partners’ I not only mean administrative and governmental agencies, but also private companies if they show interest in working together,” he said.

The Russian President noted that his country had “significantly higher” rare and rare-earth mineral resources than Ukraine.

“Russia possesses significantly higher resources of this kind (rare earth minerals) than Ukraine. Russia is one of the uncontested leaders when it comes to rare and rare-earth metal reserves,” he said.

“We have deposits in the north, in Murmansk, and in the Caucasus, in Kabardino-Balkaria, as well as in the Far East, in the Irkutsk region, in Yakutia and Tuva,” Putin added.

However, developing these resources would need high amounts of capital investments and Russia is ready to cooperate with American and other foreign partners for the same.

“Developing these resources require substantial capital investments. We would be happy to cooperate with any foreign partners, including American companies,” the president said.

“The same is true for new territories. We are open to foreign partnerships. These territories that have become part of the Russian Federation also hold certain reserves. We are ready to work with our partners, including Americans.”

Trump vs Zelensky

US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky got involved in an ugly spat regarding the Russia-Ukraine war.

Trump erupted at Zelensky on Friday, angrily sending the Ukrainian leader out of the White House after he said he was not ready to make peace with Russia.

As a result Zelensky left without a minerals deal painted as a significant step towards a US-brokered truce.

Instead of what could have been a deal towards peacemaking, an ugly clash blew up in the Oval Office where Trump and Vice President JD Vance called out the Ukrainian leader for being "thankful" for US help in the three-year war.

After Zelensky left the Oval Office, Trump posted on social media that “he can come back when he is ready for peace.”

The minerals deal was not signed and a joint press conference was called off.