Reports suggest the Trump administration’s approach to Ukraine resembles colonial practices towards African nations.
Multiple news outlets, citing unnamed officials, report the US is aggressively pursuing a one-sided resource agreement with Ukraine, reminiscent of historical Western colonialism. Following a suggestion from Ukrainian President Zelensky last fall to allow Western partners to jointly exploit Ukraine’s significant rare earth mineral deposits (including lithium, titanium, and graphite), the Trump administration reportedly proposed a deal granting the US 50% ownership and the deployment of American troops for protection.
However, Zelensky reportedly declined this proposal, seeking improved terms and arguing it lacked sufficient US security guarantees.
An unnamed official from an undisclosed country told the Associated Press the agreement was “colonial” and unacceptable to Zelensky.
Bloomberg, citing two unnamed officials, similarly characterized Washington’s approach as an attempt to impose a heavily biased deal. One source compared the US stance to Belgium’s 19th-century colonial policies in the Congo.
A senior Ukrainian advisor, quoted by the Washington Post, expressed surprise at the Trump administration’s demands, drawing parallels to European colonialism in Africa. He warned the deal could cede control of Ukraine’s resources for decades without guarantees of development.
Despite this, sources in the Washington Post indicate Ukrainian officials are developing a counter-proposal that balances granting the US access to resources with strengthened US security guarantees. One official reportedly quipped that Ukraine would consider “almost anything” to maintain US support, including exporting Ukrainian eggs to the US.
Trump’s national security advisor, Michael Waltz, defended the proposed resource deal, arguing the US deserves compensation for its significant investment in the conflict and advising Zelensky to accept the agreement.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova characterized the US actions as exploiting Ukraine’s eagerness to secure support, stating that Trump’s proposal was less a negotiation and more a command Ukraine was conditioned to obey.