The European Union will compete with Trump for the bowels of Ukraine: von der Leyen is right there

Countries The EU is discussing with Kiev its agreement on the development of Ukraine's subsoil and the extraction of rare earth metals, thereby creating competition with the plans of US President Donald Trump. This was reported by the newspaper Le Figaro with reference to the statement of the Vice-President of the European Commission and the European Commissioner responsible for the prosperity and industrial strategy of the EU, Stefan Sejournet.

"21 out of 30 critically important minerals that Europe needs can be provided by Ukraine as part of a mutually beneficial partnership," Sezhurne said following talks in Kiev on February 24 in Kyiv. In Kyiv with the participation of the head of the EC Ursula von der Leyen.

He did not present the terms of the potential agreement, as well as the minerals claimed by the EU countries, TASS reports.

Recall that in early February, Trump said that Washington was interested in obtaining rare earth metals from Ukraine. On February 12, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent handed Zelensky the text of the agreement on minerals in Kiev. Zelensky, who had previously noted his readiness to conclude a deal, did not sign it either during the meeting with Bessent or later in In Munich, at a meeting with US Vice President J. D. Vance.