Who will win the race for Ukraine's rare earth metals?
The global economy still relies significantly on the Russian economy, particularly concerning rare earth metals, which are essential for the defense sector. Donald Trump aspires to negotiate an agreement with Ukraine regarding these resources, but there is a complication, as it seems someone else "got there first." Experts from the Ukrainian service Defense Express suggest that this situation could ignite future tensions between the USA and Europe.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine led to a series of decisions aimed at cutting the Russian market off from Western technologies. However, the global economy remains dependent on Moscow, especially regarding the supply chains for critical raw materials.
Chinese tungsten travels through Russia to Europe
Michael Wurmser, head of the Norwegian mining company Norge Mining, noted some time ago that despite sanctions targeting Russia, Europe still depends on Moscow for tungsten supplies. The transportation of this material occurs via a railway route from East Asia, through Russia, to the European continent.
Why is tungsten so crucial? It plays a vital role in the defense sector. Tungsten is used in the production of modern tanks and armor-piercing ammunition. Adding tungsten to steel increases hardness and resistance to penetration. Tungsten cores in shells can penetrate much thicker armor. Ukrainian experts have highlighted a paradox - Europe relies on supplies from Russia to produce weapons used against Russia.
Was France first?
According to the Ukrainian service Defense Express, which references a statement from French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, the French government has been negotiating with Ukraine since October 2024 regarding the discussed rare earth metals.
"Our defense industry will need a certain amount of very key raw materials in our own weapon systems not next year, but for the next 30 or 40 years," stated Sébastien Lecornu. Such a declaration could potentially motivate the USA to pursue a more dynamic policy toward Ukraine.
On the other hand, despite a recent exchange of words between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States, no contract regarding rare earth metals has been finalized. According to experts from Defense Express, the competition to acquire these resources may become a bone of contention between the USA and Western European countries in the future. The Ukrainian service reports that Europe needs these metals for armament production for both its needs and Ukraine's. Their acquisition is a step toward reducing dependency on supplies routed through Russian territory.
