MOSCOW, February 12. /TASS/. Ukraine will need from 5 to 10 years to prepare for production of rare earth metals under the optimistic scenario, a Ukrainian expert on international issues, Yury Romanyuk, said.
"Geodesic exploration takes not months, but years," he was quoted as saying by Ukraine’s Espreso TV channel.
Moreover, it is necessary to consider the composition of rare earth metals, lithium, for example, the expert added. "Separate processing treatment is required for various types of this metal, which is why from 5 to 10 years are needed to start the production of lithium, for example, under the optimistic scenario," he noted.
Trump said in early February that Washington was interested in receiving rare earth metals from Ukraine. In turn, in an interview with Reuters Vladimir Zelensky announced readiness to conclude such a deal, adding that Ukrainian mineral resources and underground gas storage facilities could be exchanged for security guarantees.