Zelenskyy on Rejecting Rare Earth Deal Without Security Guarantees: “I Cannot Sell the State”

Ukraine is open to signing an agreement on rare earth metals but insists that security guarantees must be part of the deal, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated during a press conference on February 19.

The draft agreement, brought to Kyiv by US President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, reportedly lacked any provisions on Ukraine’s security, focusing instead on economic terms.

“The document was vague; it was only clear about one thing—we must give up 50% of everything listed in it. We are not afraid of the publicity of this document. I am ready for transparency,” Zelenskyy said.

“I am defending Ukraine. I cannot sell our state. I said—write down some security guarantees, and we will write down some percentages. They only said 50%, and I said no.”

While Ukraine acknowledges the economic potential of rare earth metal exports, the President stressed that national security cannot be sidelined.

It was reported previously that a confidential draft agreement presented to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlines a significant economic arrangement with the United States, raising concerns about Ukraine’s sovereignty over its natural resources, according to The Telegraph on February 17, 2025.