The president appears to have adopted a proposal first made last year that offers “strategic partners” such as the U.S. special access to Ukraine's glut of natural resources.

President Donald Trump says his administration has already had “very serious” discussions with Russia about its war in Ukraine and that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin could soon take “significant” action toward ending the grinding conflict.

President Donald Trump said he wants Ukraine to give the US rare earth metals in exchange for aid in its war with Russia. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, the president said he wanted to get guarantees on a supply of "very valuable rare earth" materials from Ukraine in return for US military equipment.