Washington, D.C.: On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he would soon finalize a deal regarding rare earth minerals with Ukraine.
Before signing an executive order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education, Trump conveyed his optimism about a possible ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
"Our nation is performing very well. As you can see, things are progressing positively," he stated.
Trump revealed that he had enacted an executive order to enhance the production of essential minerals within the United States.
"Just moments ago, I signed an executive order to significantly boost the production of critical minerals and rare earth elements. This is a significant development for our country. We are also entering into agreements in various regions to access rare earths and minerals, along with many other resources globally, particularly in Ukraine," he remarked.
The World Economic Forum notes that while China may not possess the largest reserves of rare earth minerals, it leads in the refining process, making it the top importer of critical minerals, which it processes and distributes worldwide. Following China, the United States, India, and Germany are also major importers, while the United States, Chile, Switzerland, and Australia have seen notable increases in their exports of raw, semi-processed, or processed critical minerals.
In reference to his recent discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, Trump expressed hope for a resolution to the ongoing conflict.
We are making significant progress regarding the situation between Ukraine and Russia, and one of our upcoming actions includes finalizing a deal related to rare earth minerals with Ukraine, which possesses substantial resources in this area. We recognize their importance. Yesterday, we engaged in discussions with President Putin and President Zelenskyy, and we are eager to see a resolution to this conflict. I believe we are on the right track, and with any luck, we can prevent thousands of unnecessary deaths each week. I am confident that we will achieve this goal. We will monitor the situation closely, but I remain optimistic about our success.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that the administration has "progressed beyond the economic minerals deal."
Leavitt elaborated, stating, "The minerals deal served as the initial framework that was presented during the public meeting with President Zelenskyy and President Trump in the Oval Office. Our current focus is on establishing a long-term peace agreement."
Earlier, Trump also issued a proclamation commemorating the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry's renowned speech to the Second Virginia Convention.
"I would like to announce that I signed a proclamation just moments ago to honor the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry's famous address to the Second Virginia Convention, where he famously declared, 'Give me liberty or give me death,'" he stated.
