Zelensky: mineral resources in occupied Ukrainian territories estimated in trillions of dollars

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated this in an interview with Reuters, as reported by Ukrinform.

“When we talk about Ukraine’s mineral resources, we are talking about trillions of dollars. That is why it is crucial to impose total sanctions on Russia, lower oil prices, and ensure they lose not just billions but trillions,” Zelensky emphasized.

According to him, partial sanctions that result in Russia’s losses of $10–20 billion in specific sectors are insufficient, as the occupiers can compensate for these losses by exploiting Ukraine’s stolen resources in occupied territories.

The president also underscored the importance of Ukraine’s NATO membership in protecting its natural wealth.

“NATO is the cheapest option. If the issue shifts into the realm of pragmatic dialogue, we can talk about money,” he noted.

Zelensky stated that a robust air defense system, particularly Patriot systems, should be the foundation of this protection.

“A significant part of defense is air defense. And the core component of that air defense is the Patriot system or its equivalents, which are scarce. We are not sure we can get enough of them,” he added.

He also pointed out that the previous U.S. administration did not provide Ukraine with a sufficient number of air defense systems due to their high maintenance costs.

“The production of these missiles will be our challenge. The number of missiles we produce depends on how much money we can secure from taxes or partners,” he explained.

As Ukrinform reported, up to 20% of Ukraine’s mineral resources, including approximately half of its rare earth element deposits, are under Russian occupation.

Ukraine is open to signing an agreement with the U.S. for access to its rare earth minerals and seeks security guarantees from its allies as part of any settlement.