Why the U.S. wants Ukraine's minerals

Ilmenite, a key element used to produce titanium, is collected in the country’s leading titanium mining company in the central region of Kirovohrad, Ukraine, Feb. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File) The United States will have access to Ukraine's critical mineral wealth, including key ingredients for the clean energy transition, under a deal the two countries are expected to sign later this week. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has pushed for the agreement, has long been critical of a transition to green energies, which include wind and solar power, along with electrification of transportation and appliances, all things that require…