Trump eyeing Russian minerals after war ends, US official says

The U.S. is open to a minerals deal with Russia, Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East, said in an interview with Fox News on Feb. 27.

Witkoff's remarks come as President Volodymyr Zelensky prepares to sign a critical minerals agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. on Feb. 28.

In addition to Ukraine's mineral resources, the U.S. is interested in exploring Russia's significant mineral deposits once a peace agreement is reached, Witkoff said.

"I think there will be plenty of opportunities for the United States with Russia when this peace deal gets finished," Witkoff said.

Witkoff said he believed there would be "be plenty of economic cooperation opportunities" between the U.S. and Russia once the war ends.

Earlier this week, Trump said he was open to striking a deal on critical minerals with Russia, though he denied having spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about accessing minerals in Russian-occupied Ukrainian lands.

"I'd like to buy minerals on Russian land too if we can," Trump said. "The rare earth, they have very good rare earth ... It's great for Russia too, because we could do deals there."

Putin said on Feb. 24 that Moscow was open to working with foreign partners on developing rare earth metal deposits, including in occupied regions of Ukraine.

In a significant foreign policy shift for the U.S., the Trump administration has been looking to increase cooperation with Russia despite the deterioration of relations between the two countries in recent years.

While he is officially Trump's Middle East envoy, Witkoff has emerged as a key figure in the evolving negotiations between the U.S. and Russia. Witkoff traveled to Moscow earlier in February for the release of imprisoned U.S. teacher Marc Fogel, meeting personally with Putin during his visit.

Witkoff also participated in the U.S.-Russia talks in Saudia Arabia on  Feb. 18. No Ukrainian officials were present at the Riyadh negotiations.

Some experts have suggested that Witkoff's increased role reflects Russia's belief that Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, holds stronger pro-Ukrainian views.