France, March 1 -- France and the European Union are mobilising to secure access to Ukraine's valuable mineral resources, despite pressure from Washington, which is pushing for mineral deals with Kyiv as a form of repayment for military aid.

As global competition intensifies for the resources powering modern technology, Ukraine's vast mineral wealth has become a critical bargaining chip in deals concerning its security.

United States President Donald Trump has framed mineral agreements as a way for Ukraine to repay military aid it has received, turning access to these resources into a focal point of negotiations.

But Washington is not the only interested party. The race to secure Ukraine's rare earth minerals has been in motion for sev...