Tengrinews.kz – The United States wants access to rare earth metals in Central Asia, as Ukraine has very limited reserves of the necessary resources, according to an article by the American publication National Interest.
It is stated that signing an agreement with Kyiv is only the first step. Washington seeks access to Central Asian resources, but achieving this will not be easy, as the region lies within the sphere of interest of both Russia and China.
“As a result, the United States must explore additional options for its mineral portfolio. One such area could be Central Asia. Central Asia holds a significant portion of the world’s rare earth minerals. As the United States hopes to improve its access to rare earths, establishing closer ties with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan is crucial,” the article says.
Earlier, the U.S. signed a resource deal with Uzbekistan regarding rare earth metal mining. Representatives from Washington and Tashkent signed the agreement in the U.S. capital on April 9.