Negotiations for France to reach out to critical Ukraine mineral assets were disclosed Monday night, in words that confirmed Washington is not the exclusive suitor in the eastern European nation’s increasing resource outreach.
French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said discussions with Ukraine have been ongoing since October, pointing out that France’s interest lies in its long-term defence and industrial requirements. Although he did not provide which minerals are involved, Ukraine has been offering rare earths, lithium for batteries and uranium for nuclear power and weapons technology.
The move is announced as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepares to travel to Washington on Friday to sign minerals agreement with US President Donald Trump. The deal is considered an strategic attempt to gain control of crucial raw materials for military and technological development. 
Unlike the US, which has cast its deal as a means for Kyiv to repay military aid, Lecornu was clearer, that France’s interest was not compensation but ensuring future supply chain for the defense sector of France. We are not out for revenge, he said.
It has been mandated perchance by French President Emmanuel Macron underpinning of France’s overall tactic to scholarship various satisfied mineral sufferers. Although just beginning, the talks signal a fresh chapter in Europe’s pursuit of key resources under pressure from rising tensions in the world.
