Highlights
- Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova criticizes a new US-Ukraine rare earth agreement as a 'classic imperialist model' of resource extraction.
- The deal reflects growing geopolitical competition for critical minerals.
- Ukraine is seeking Western investment.
- The US aims to diversify supply chains away from China.
- The controversy underscores the emerging role of mineral diplomacy as a strategic tool in international power dynamics.
In a sharp rebuke aired at a May 6 press briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (opens in a new tab) condemned a newly signed rare earth agreement between the United States and Ukraine, describing it as a “classic imperialist model” of resource plunder. The statement, delivered in response to a question from Turkish outlet Anadolu Agency (opens in a new tab), marks a dramatic escalation in Moscow’s rhetoric over Western critical mineral sourcing strategies in Eastern Europe.
Of course not disclosed by the Russians, nor discussed in the Turkish media, is the outright invasion they [Russia] launched against Ukraine—the ultimate form of imperialism.
According to Anadolu’s report, Zakharova claimed that even Ukrainian lawmakers and government departments have not seen the full text of the deal, which was reportedly signed in Washington last week and involves undisclosed provisions and possibly multiple documents. “They haven't seen this deal, they haven't read it, they don't know what it says,” she stated, adding that any commentary is premature given the complete lack of transparency.
Zakharova alleged that the agreement fits into what Russia views as a broader pattern of “neocolonial exploitation,” wherein powerful Western nations — what she called "metropolitan centers" — extract resources from weaker states under opaque terms. “It’s a classical imperialist model… where resources are exported and plundered,” she said. She went further, claiming that Ukraine’s leadership has “sold their lands for GMOs,” and now intends to sell off its natural resources, including rare earths, for personal gain.
The Foreign Ministry’s comments are the latest sign that rare earth metals and critical minerals are becoming a flashpoint in a broader geopolitical power struggle. Ukraine, home to untapped mineral reserves including rare earths and titanium, has been actively courting Western investment to accelerate post-war economic recovery and secure strategic relevance in clean energy supply chains. The U.S., under its expanded industrial policy, views partnerships with resource-rich allies as essential to decoupling from Chinese supply dominance.
However, Russia’s public framing of the deal as “imperialist colonization” signals Moscow’s intent to politicize resource diplomacy and cast doubt on Western partnerships in the post-Soviet sphere. Zakharova described the Ukrainian government as part of a subgroup of nations that “don’t want to resist” colonial dynamics because “they got paid for it.”
Again, if any imperialistic move was made, it was by the Russians, who launched the invasion of Ukraine in the first place.
Ukrainian lawmakers are reportedly set to review the agreement’s ratification this Thursday. Zakharova expressed skepticism that they would even have full access to the documentation before casting their votes.
Rare Earth Exchanges will continue to monitor developments as the U.S.-Ukraine deal is further disclosed.
The agreement's lack of transparency—coupled with Russian efforts to discredit it—reflects rising geopolitical stakes in securing rare earths and the growing use of mineral diplomacy as both a lever of influence and a target of propaganda.
Source: Anadolu Agency, “Russia calls rare earth deal between US, Ukraine example of 'imperialist colonization'” by Elena Teslova, May 6, 2025
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