Bangladesh, Feb. 23 -- The United States involvement in Ukraine has never been solely about defending democracy or preserving European stability. Under Donald Trumps “America First” policy, Washingtons support comes with strings attached-and lately, those strings are tied to Ukraines mineral wealth. As tensions between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky escalate, the pressure on Kyiv to hand over access to its underground riches in exchange for military aid is exposing a rift that could reshape US-Ukrainian relations.

Beneath Ukraines soil lies a trove of valuable minerals critical to modern industries. The country holds around 2% of the worlds lithium reserves, 4% of its graphite, and significant deposits of ni...