Trump Re Ukraine

[MNW67]

So Trump caved in again? He's making a habit of it.

Or it was a negotiating tactic?

 

[MNW67]

Waltz suggested that the United States invest jointly with Ukraine in its economy and natural resources, becoming a long-term partner. He emphasized that this would give Ukraine the strongest security guarantee, far more valuable than additional military aid.

I don't follow that bit!

 

[fillyboy]

Many of the changes in the revised contract are to do with the agreement falling under Ukranian law rather than New York law.

 

[fillyboy]

Something I have only recently found out is that 50% of the world's supply of these minerals is in countries already allied to the USA. The main bottleneck is that only China knows how to refine and process them. So they control 90%+ of the market.

I thought a lot of the rare earths only occurred in China.

 

[MNW67]

I thought a lot of the rare earths only occurred in China.

I can't find the original article, but I have just found another one which says similar. This is something I have only very recently looked into so more research might be advisable:

The rare earth basket contains 17 metals. Each plays a vital role in the modern economy, for defense and for daily life. Lanthanum, for instance, helps produce colors on smart phone and computer screens, as does gadolinium. Two of these metals help speakers produce sound, neodymium and praseodymium. Terbium and dysprosium allow phones to vibrate during meetings when it is impolite to allow them to ring. This truncated list should give an idea of their extensive uses.

According to a study from the prestigious Brooking’s Institution, China presently produces some 60% of the world’s rare earth elements and processes 85% of them. This dominance has nothing to do however with a geological accident that has placed the bulk of rare earth deposits in Chinese territory. On the contrary, despite the word “rare” in the name, rare earth elements are far from rare. They are more abundant than both silver and gold. Nor are they especially concentrated. They are in China’s control presently only because the mining and refinement of these metals is environmentally destructive, something that until recently China cared less about than do the developed nations of the west. Americans eagerly shipped the environmental problem across the Pacific.

How Much Control Does China Have Over Rare Earth Elements?

China has engineered for itself dominance in the production of global rare earth elements, but it far from secure.

www.forbes.com

 

[fillyboy]

I can't find the original article, but I have just found another one which says similar. This is something I have only very recently looked into so more research might be advisable:

How Much Control Does China Have Over Rare Earth Elements?

China has engineered for itself dominance in the production of global rare earth elements, but it far from secure.

www.forbes.com

A lot of that was new to me, this was particularly interesting;

According to a study from the prestigious Brooking’s Institution, China presently produces some 60% of the world’s rare earth elements and processes 85% of them. This dominance has nothing to do however with a geological accident that has placed the bulk of rare earth deposits in Chinese territory. On the contrary, despite the word “rare” in the name, rare earth elements are far from rare. They are more abundant than both silver and gold. Nor are they especially concentrated. They are in China’s control presently only because the mining and refinement of these metals is environmentally destructive, something that until recently China cared less about than do the developed nations of the west. Americans eagerly shipped the environmental problem across the Pacific.


The United States, once self-sufficient in REE, now has only one operating mine, the Mountain Pass Mine operated by MP Materials in California’s Mojave Desert. From time to time, MP Materials has had to stop operation because of regulatory issues. Even what it brings out of the earth, it ships to China for the environmentally fraught business of separation and refinement.

 

[MNW67]

A lot of that was new to me, this was particularly interesting;

According to a study from the prestigious Brooking’s Institution, China presently produces some 60% of the world’s rare earth elements and processes 85% of them. This dominance has nothing to do however with a geological accident that has placed the bulk of rare earth deposits in Chinese territory. On the contrary, despite the word “rare” in the name, rare earth elements are far from rare. They are more abundant than both silver and gold. Nor are they especially concentrated. They are in China’s control presently only because the mining and refinement of these metals is environmentally destructive, something that until recently China cared less about than do the developed nations of the west. Americans eagerly shipped the environmental problem across the Pacific.


The United States, once self-sufficient in REE, now has only one operating mine, the Mountain Pass Mine operated by MP Materials in California’s Mojave Desert. From time to time, MP Materials has had to stop operation because of regulatory issues. Even what it brings out of the earth, it ships to China for the environmentally fraught business of separation and refinement.

I wonder whether part of the US plan is to do the refinement in Ukraine, as an alternative to China?

 

[fillyboy]

I wonder whether part of the US plan is to do the refinement in Ukraine, as an alternative to China?

Makes sense. Gotta hand it to the Donald.

 

[MNW67]

Makes sense. Gotta hand it to the Donald.

Although, it was Zelensky who originally proposed all this last year.

 

[fillyboy]

Although, it was Zelensky who originally proposed all this last year.

He delayed signing an agreement with Biden, I assume giving Trump the honour is payback over Hunter.

 

[transam]

I haven’t said that I support what he does or says for that matter. I just think it is being blown out of proportion.

Possibly / may be ???? An over reaction ??

But what one says in public in his position
Can cause a massive amount of damage
He needs to wind his neck in ??

 

[transam]

Yes agreed, however I am still a bit confused over this. Yes Putin invaded Ukraine and that is undisputed but I am uncertain if Zelenski did indeed have the chance to peace talks and evaded this. I also believe that we the west have prolonged this war by supplying arms and money. It is just prolonging the enevitable and causing unneccessary suffering and deaths.

You can apply that to the 2nd world war when the UK stood alone

Lord Halifax in Churchill’s government wanted to appease hitler

And the negotiater for this surrender was none other than

Benito Mussolini

Poo tin is a thug murderer and tin pot dictator
And with luck eventually his own population will lynch him

Trump is probably a certifiable lunatic

 

[Highway Man]

Poo tin is a thug murderer and tin pot dictator
And with luck eventually his own population will lynch him

Trump is probably a certifiable lunatic

These of course are your thoughts. To some he could appear to be a strong leader.

 

[crystal ball]

You can apply that to the 2nd world war when the UK stood alone

Lord Halifax in Churchill’s government wanted to appease hitler

And the negotiater for this surrender was none other than

Benito Mussolini

Poo tin is a thug murderer and tin pot dictator
And with luck eventually his own population will lynch him

Trump is probably a certifiable lunatic

Care to explain the first line

 

[transam]

Care to explain the first line

Nowt to explain

He said zekenski had chance on peace talks

As did Churchill