Opinion US, UK, critical minerals: Signed and sealed
On February 28, it looked like the relationship between Ukraine and its hitherto principal backer in the conflict with Russia had reached a nadir. At a time when Washington and Kyiv were expected to sign a deal on critical minerals, a conversation between US President Donald Trump, Vice President J D Vance and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy descended into a shouting match, with the latter largely at the receiving end. Two months on, the broader geopolitical context has shifted again and the agreement was finally inked on April 30. Officially known as the US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, it will ensure US access to Ukraine's vast reserves of critical minerals. The breakthrough comes at a time when Washington's push for peace has hardly yielded any dividends.
Ukraine's mineral wealth has become a key factor in geopolitics. As the world accelerates efforts to decarbonise, the demand for critical minerals is surging. Electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels and energy storage systems all depend on minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements — resources that Ukraine holds in significant quantities. These are also used in semiconductor technology and for a wide range of defence production. Washington's drive to secure these minerals is unsurprising, given that China controls the largest share of deposits.
Kyiv had insisted that any agreement must include strong and lasting security guarantees. However, Washington apparently acknowledges no such obligation. Instead, it merely states that the US 'supports Ukraine's efforts to obtain the security assurances necessary to build a lasting peace'. Despite this, Kyiv is likely to view the agreement positively, as a business arrangement with Trump may make him more receptive to Ukraine's security needs. Additionally, the language used by the Trump administration towards Russia is harsher than usual. The deal highlights the US challenge of balancing economic interests with strategic goals but its implications for ending the conflict in Ukraine remain unclear. Although the US-brokered talks previously resulted in a 30-day limited ceasefire and ensured safe navigation in the Black Sea, the fighting has continued. Washington had also played a leading role in organising talks in Riyadh, but that momentum has waned. In the end, renewed dialogue among all parties remains the only path to peace.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
23 minutes ago
- Time of India
Why do India's brightest find Harvard easier to enter than IITs?
It sounds different at first, how could one of the world's most prestigious Ivy League institutions be more accessible than India's own engineering strongholds? But for thousands of Indian students each year, that's the sobering reality. Harvard, with its global reputation and ultra-selective admissions, is seen as the pinnacle of academic achievement. Yet for many top Indian students, clearing the difficult Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) feels even harder. Statistically, they're right. While Harvard accepts about 3% to 5% of applicants, the top IITs admit less than 0.2%, a competition so fierce it borders on the impossible, according to The Economist. And the pressure isn't just numerical, it's cultural, psychological, and systemic. A test of endurance, not excellence India's entrance exams are unforgiving. Students begin preparing years in advance, often sacrificing adolescence for a shot at a seat in IITs or IIMs. In coaching towns like Kota, teenagers live regimented lives, measured not in experiences but in mock tests, cutoffs, and daily rankings. Contrast that with American universities like Harvard, which adopt a holistic admissions process, one that considers essays, recommendation letters, extracurriculars, and personal character alongside academic merit. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo In short, they assess potential, not just performance. Rejection at home, recognition abroad This paradox plays out year after year: Students who are denied entry into India's top institutes end up accepted by Ivy League schools. It isn't that they're less intelligent; it's that India's system is designed as a sieve, not a searchlight. It filters ruthlessly, often overlooking creative thinkers, late bloomers, and non-conformists. Over 60% of the top 100 IIT rankers still leave India for graduate studies abroad. And now, many who fail to enter IITs at all are finding prestigious opportunities in the West, because, in many ways, they are finally being seen. A pipeline built on pressure According to The Economist, nearly one-third of all international students in the US are Indian. Many pursue STEM fields, drawn by flexible curricula, research opportunities, and comparatively less cut-throat undergraduate admissions. It's no surprise, then that even with volatile visa policies and occasional political hostility, like those during Donald Trump's presidency, Indian students continue to look West. Germany, Canada, and even the Netherlands are emerging as new favourites for Indian families wary of the IIT rat race. These countries offer not just quality education but a reprieve from the emotional toll exacted by India's hyper-competitive model. What does this say about India's system? That Harvard might be more accessible than an IIT is not a compliment to American universities; it's an indictment of India's own educational gatekeeping. Our brightest minds should not have to seek validation from abroad because their potential wasn't shaped into the narrow mold demanded by entrance tests. The question isn't whether Indian students are capable enough for the Ivy League. Clearly, they are. The question is: Why must they leave India to feel worthy? Until we reimagine our idea of merit—from a single number on an answer sheet to a fuller picture of capability and creativity, India will keep exporting talent it fails to nurture. Harvard may keep opening its doors. But shouldn't India do the same? Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
Hindustan Times
28 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Donald Trump's US entry ban order kicks in tomorrow: 12 countries, some exceptions
Citizens of 12 countries will not be able to enter the United States from Monday, June 9, following US President Donald Trump's ban order, issued for what he says is an effort to protect the country from 'foreign terrorists'. Donald Trump announced the ban on US entry for citizens of 12 countries earlier this week in an action that stemmed from a January 20 executive order he issued requiring the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to compile a report on 'hostile attitudes' toward the United States. The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan Yemen Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan Venezuela -Green Card holders – Legal permanent residents of the US. -Dual citizens – Individuals who hold US citizenship along with citizenship from one of the banned countries. -Athletes and coaches – Those traveling to the US for major sporting events like the World Cup or Olympics, as determined by the US Secretary of State. Afghan Special Immigrant visa holders – Afghans who worked with the US government or its allies in Afghanistan. Persecuted Iranian minorities – Iranians from ethnic or religious minority groups fleeing persecution. Long-term US government employees abroad – Foreign nationals who have worked for the US government overseas for at least 15 years, along with their spouses and children. Previously admitted refugees or asylees – Individuals granted asylum or refugee status in the US before the ban took effect. Family-based visa applicants – Individuals applying for visas to reunite with US citizen or permanent resident spouses, children, or parents. Diplomats and government officials – Foreign officials traveling on official government business. UN officials – Those visiting the US exclusively for official United Nations business at UN headquarters in New York. Representatives of international organisations and NATO – Those on official visits to the US. Adopted children – Foreign-born children adopted by US citizens. Donald Trump, a Republican, has carried out a series of sweeping actions and issued orders in a massive crackdown on illegal immigration since return to the White House in January. Listing the reasoning behind choice of 12 countries, Donald Trump said these were found to harbour a "large-scale presence of terrorists," fail to cooperate on visa security, have an inability to verify travelers' identities, as well as inadequate record-keeping of criminal histories and high rates of visa overstays in the United States. As an example of why the new curbs are needed, Donald Trump cited the recent incident in Colorado's Boulder, in which an Egyptian national threw a gasoline bomb into a crowd of pro-Israel demonstrators . Egypt, however, is not among the countries facing the travel ban. Responding to the ban, Chad President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno said he had instructed his government to stop granting visas to US citizens. "Chad has neither planes to offer nor billions of dollars to give, but Chad has its dignity and its pride," Itno said in a Facebook post, referring to countries such as Qatar, which gifted the US a luxury jet for Trump's use and promised to invest billions of dollars in the US.
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Westinghouse pursues US nuclear expansion after Trump orders, FT says
Nuclear equipment supplier Westinghouse is in talks with U.S. officials and industry partners about deploying 10 large reactors, in response to presidential executive orders, the Financial Times reported on Sunday, citing the company's CEO. President Donald Trump's executive orders, which were published on May 23, directed the government to cut down on regulations and fast-track licences for reactors and power plants to shrink a multi-year process to 18 months. Dan Sumner, Westinghouse interim chief executive, told the FT that the company was "uniquely positioned" to deliver the president's agenda because it had an approved reactor design, a viable supply chain and recent experience of building two of its AP1000 reactors in Georgia. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Most Expensive Cars In The World "There is active engagement with the administration, including key points of interface with the loan programmes office, recognising the importance of financing to the deployment of the model," he told the FT. Westinghouse did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours. Live Events
