Vladimir Putin says he's ready for US investment in strategic minerals in occupied Ukraine

Moscow, Russia (AFP) February 24 - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday he is ready for US investment in strategic minerals in occupied Ukraine.

Putin said in televised comments that Russia was ready to work with "foreign partners including Americans" on developing reserves of rare and rare earth metals, including "in our new regions", referring to regions of Ukraine controlled by Russia.

US President Donald Trump is pushing for Ukraine to sign a deal giving it privileged access to its reserves of valuable minerals.

Putin gave an interview after summoning his cabinet for a meeting on Russia's resources of strategically important rare and rare earth minerals, saying that Russia is a world leader in terms of reserves, with far more of these than Ukraine, and "must do more" with them.

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with the media after a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council at Igora ski resort in the Leningrad region on December 26, 2024. (Photo by Alexandr Demyanchuk / POOL / AFP)

"We would work with pleasure with any foreign partners including with Americans," he said, listing various regions including Siberia and far east Russia where these rare elements are found.

"We are also ready to attract foreign partners to our so-called new territories -- our historic territories that have gone back to being part of Russia," Putin said, referring to the regions of Ukraine Russia has occupied through its military offensive.

"There are also certain reserves there. We are ready to work with our partners, including Americans, in our new regions too."

He said he could confirm that US and Russian companies were "in touch" and discussing joint economic projects linked to resolving the Ukraine conflict.