Germany’s Olaf Scholz calls US president’s plan ‘selfish’ but reports suggest idea may have come from Kyiv

Donald Trump wants to negotiate an agreement with Ukraine under which Kyiv would guarantee supplies of rare earth resources – critical elements used in electronics – in exchange for US military aid.

The US president was immediately accused of exploiting Russia’s invasion for material gain, with the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, calling the plan “selfish”. However, Ukrainian media reported that the idea may have originated in Kyiv as an incentive to keep weapon shipments flowing into the country.