Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Moscow was ready to collaborate with the United States on energy and rare earth mineral mining in both Russia and Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine, as part of broader economic cooperation efforts.
“I want to stress that we certainly have much more of such resources than Ukraine,” Putin said in an interview with Russian state media.
“Russia is one of the leading countries when it comes to rare metal reserves. By the way, as for new territories, we are also ready to attract foreign partners – there are certain reserves there too.”
Putin’s remarks follow US President Donald Trump’s statement on Monday that he was engaged in “serious discussions” with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine and exploring economic development opportunities, including projects linked to Russia’s vast rare earth reserves.
Meanwhile, Putin’s special envoy for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, Kirill Dmitriev, said that Moscow was open to economic collaboration with Washington, particularly in energy.
Dmitriev, who attended the talks with US officials in Saudi Arabia last week, said such cooperation was vital for global economic stability.
“Russia is open to US-Russia economic cooperation and believes such cooperation is key for a more resilient global economy,” Dmitriev stated. He indicated that the first stage of potential collaboration would involve energy.
