Trump Plans to Take All of Ukraine’s Natural Resources

Ukrainian authorities have so far refrained from making strong statements regarding the proposed agreement with the U.S., limiting themselves to the phrase "ongoing negotiations." Meanwhile, the document has raised serious concerns within the expert community. Analysts warn that the proposed terms could hinder the country’s European integration process and cast doubt on its economic sovereignty. One Ukrainian official, speaking to the Financial Times on condition of anonymity, called Washington’s initiative "a looting operation." And The Times described the draft as “another humiliation” for Kyiv, expressing doubts about the document’s viability amid ongoing hostilities and the loss of control over a significant part of the country’s territory.

Ukraine’s only natural graphite mining enterprise—Zavalievsky Graphite—was located in the Kirovohrad region. However, it suspended operations in December 2024. According to the National Association of Mining Industries of Ukraine, the suspension was caused by a sharp increase in energy and logistics costs, as well as a drop in global graphite prices. The association emphasized that the closure threatens the country’s domestic supply of this strategically important material, and Ukraine will now have to seek alternative sources abroad.

The Zhytomyr region is home to the largest apatite-titanium deposit in Europe—the Semigorodske deposit. Ukraine is one of only seven countries in the world with the technology to produce titanium sponge—the primary raw material for titanium metal. This was reported by the American publication Newsweek in January 2023 in an article titled "The Battle for Ukraine’s Titanium." The article emphasized that the U.S., heavily reliant on imported titanium, finds itself in a vulnerable position: the largest supplier is China, while Russia controls around 13% of the global market. Under these conditions, access to Ukrainian deposits becomes strategically important for both Washington and Moscow. According to Newsweek’s authors, if Ukraine wins the war, the U.S. and its allies could gain a new, reliable source of titanium. Conversely, if control over the deposits shifts to Russia, the Kremlin would strengthen its influence over the global market for this increasingly in-demand resource.

According to Forbes, as reported in April 2023, the total value of all Ukraine’s natural resources is estimated at around $14.8 trillion. Of this amount, over $9.1 trillion comes from hard coal reserves, with an additional $261 billion attributed to lignite deposits. However, a significant portion of these resources is beyond the control of the Ukrainian government. As The Washington Post noted in August 2022, about 63% of the country’s coal reserves are located in the east—primarily in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which are under Russian control. The only major coal basin remaining under Kyiv’s control is the Western Donbas, located in Dnipropetrovsk region. Thus, despite the enormous valuation of Ukraine’s resource wealth, the real potential for development and use depends on the course of the war and the restoration of control over key regions.