The US-Ukraine minerals deal, from Trump's demand to the April 2025 signing

Gone quiet · last story Apr 30, 2025

What this arc covers

The deal between the United States and Ukraine over Ukraine's mineral wealth: Trump's demand for Ukraine's rare earths in return for US military aid, the first US draft that Kyiv said offered almost nothing in return, the plan to sign it at the White House, Trump's charge that Zelensky was trying to back out, the outline Ukraine signed in mid-April, and the deal the two countries signed at the end of April 2025.

Earliest story we hold Feb 3, 2025 · 10 stories · 85 independent sources (counted once each) · 86 days

Part ofUkraineDonald TrumpVolodymyr ZelenskyyRussiaKyivVladimir PutinPeople's Republic of China

Part of The Russia-Ukraine war

  1. The front line and the long-range strikesDec 27, 2023 – Sep 28, 2026
  2. Western weapons and aid for UkraineJan 3, 2024 – Sep 25, 2026
  3. The peace talksJan 10, 2024 – Sep 25, 2026
  4. Sanctions on Russia and the fight over its frozen assetsJan 16, 2024 – Sep 23, 2026
  5. Ukraine's politics under martial lawJan 28, 2024 – Sep 7, 2026
  6. The Nord Stream explosions and Germany's case against Ukrainian suspectsFeb 7, 2024 – Sep 24, 2026
  7. Russian drones in NATO airspace and alleged sabotage plotsMar 21, 2024 – Sep 25, 2026
  8. The US-Ukraine minerals deal, from Trump's demand to the April 2025 signingThis arcFeb 3 – Apr 30, 2025

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Apr 30– May 22025US signs mineral deal with Ukraine amid tensions with Russia125 articles · 60 independent sources
13 left, 26 center, 13 right
Apr 17– 182025Ukraine says it has signed the outline of a minerals deal with the U.S.11 articles · 7 independent sources
0 left, 2 center, 3 right
Mar 312025Trump accuses Zelensky of trying to ‘back out’ of minerals deal13 articles · 13 independent sources
1 left, 1 center, 4 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Feb 21 – 28, 2025Here’s what a Trump-Zelenskyy minerals deal could mean for Ukraine – and the US65 articles · 38 independent sources
    1. Feb 21, 2025Analysis: The Ukraine minerals deal is a perfect metaphor for Trump’s foreign policy
    2. Feb 22, 2025Trump says deal with Ukraine for US access to its rare earth minerals is ‘pretty close’
    3. Feb 26, 2025Details Emerge on U.S.-Ukraine Minerals Deal
  2. Feb 21 – 24, 2025Zelenskyy says progress made on rare minerals deal with US17 articles · 12 independent sources
  3. Feb 22 – 26, 2025Trump says Zelenskyy is coming to the White House to sign US-Ukraine critical minerals deal21 articles · 14 independent sources
    1. Feb 22, 2025Only right-leaning coverage:Trump ramps up Zelenskyy attacks as US official says mineral deal close
    2. Feb 24, 2025Zelenskyy says he may be forced to sign mineral deal
  4. Mar 31, 2025Trump accuses Zelensky of trying to ‘back out’ of minerals deal13 articles · 13 independent sources
  5. Apr 30 – May 2, 2025US signs mineral deal with Ukraine amid tensions with Russia125 articles · 60 independent sources

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Feb 3Feb 17Mar 10Mar 24Apr 14Apr 28

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Feb 3, 202514211
Feb 10, 202517218
Feb 17, 202514312
Feb 24, 202510231190
Mar 31, 202511413
Apr 14, 202502310
Apr 28, 2025132613116

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

21% left · 58% center · 21% right of 85 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 10 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. February 2025

  2. Feb 11Ukraine’s rare earth elements could help keep US military aid flowing11 articles · 10 independent sources
    1 left, 5 center, 2 right
  3. Feb 16US presented Ukraine with a document to access its minerals but offered almost nothing in return - The Daily Reporter7 articles · 7 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 1 right
  4. Feb 19– 25Can the US and Ukraine reach a minerals deal?12 articles · 10 independent sources
    1 left, 4 center, 3 right
  5. Feb 21– 24Zelenskyy says progress made on rare minerals deal with US17 articles · 12 independent sources
    0 left, 6 center, 1 right
  6. Feb 21– 28Here’s what a Trump-Zelenskyy minerals deal could mean for Ukraine – and the US65 articles · 38 independent sources
    9 left, 13 center, 9 right
  7. Feb 22– 26Trump says Zelenskyy is coming to the White House to sign US-Ukraine critical minerals deal21 articles · 14 independent sources
    1 left, 7 center, 3 right

  8. March 2025

    Mar 31Trump accuses Zelensky of trying to ‘back out’ of minerals deal13 articles · 13 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 4 right

  9. April 2025

    Apr 17– 18Ukraine says it has signed the outline of a minerals deal with the U.S.11 articles · 7 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 3 right
  10. Apr 30– May 2US signs mineral deal with Ukraine amid tensions with Russia125 articles · 60 independent sources
    13 left, 26 center, 13 right