Ukraine's untapped lithium could sway US‑Russia peace talks
At the beginning of January, Keith Kellogg, supposed to serve as Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, was scheduled to meet with Ukrainian authorities in Kyiv but postponed his visit. Kyiv considers this a good sign because Kellogg wants to be better prepared for the visit. Let's review the bargaining chips Ukraine has in talks with the USA.
Kellogg, who held several advisory roles for Trump during his first term, is set to be the main official responsible for fulfilling the president-elect's promise of ending Russia's war against Ukraine. On Tuesday, the Reuters agency reported, citing its own sources, that Kellogg postponed his trip to Kyiv and other European capitals until after the inauguration of the new US president (that is, after January 20). The reason for this decision was not disclosed.
Mykhailo Podolak, an advisor to the head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, described the development as a highly positive sign during a Tuesday appearance on Ukrainian television. He noted that it reflects the Trump transitional administration's deep understanding of the conflict, the motivations driving the Russian Federation, and the impracticality of expecting reciprocal responses from Russia. Instead, he stressed the need to identify and deploy targeted measures to influence Russian actions effectively.
The postponement of Kellogg's visit suggests that the Trump administration deeply engages with insights from intelligence agencies, think tanks, and other organizations. According to the Interfax-Ukraine agency, citing Mykhailo Podolak, this reflects a more creative and thorough approach to understanding the nature of the conflict, exploring potential solutions, and evaluating their practical implementation.
"White gold" for America?
Ukraine could hold a crucial advantage in negotiations with the Trump administration over a potential resolution to the war with Russia. Dr. Daniel Szeligowski of the Polish Institute of International Affairs observed that Zelensky's victory plan appears specifically tailored for Trump and the Republican Party, featuring deliberate signals directed at the former president.
Firstly, there is a promise of joint exploitation of natural resources in Ukraine, which Americans need in their rivalry with China. Secondly, there is a vague yet existent vision of replacing American contingents in Europe with Ukrainian troops. This fits into the American discussion about reducing involvement on the Old Continent," assessed the expert.
"Trump card" of Zelensky
"The New York Times" reported in November that Kyiv is looking for ways to appeal to Donald Trump's well-known transactional approach. Zelensky's trump card might be resources: lithium, titanium, and graphite.
As noted at that time, Ukraine has four lithium deposits. In 2022, researchers from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine calculated that these deposits collectively might contain 500,000 metric tons of the resource. One of these deposits lies on territory occupied by Russia. The remaining ones are in areas administered by Ukraine, with the Shevchenkivskiy deposit located right at the front line.
These deposits are not currently being exploited. Ukrainian lithium, called "white gold," is located up to 1,000 feet below ground, making its extraction more difficult and expensive than in places like South America, where open-pit mining is used.
Lithium is used, among other things, in the production of batteries for cell phones, laptops, tablets, and electric vehicles. Consequently, the demand for this element is increasing.
