‘Plain Robbery To Secure…’: Russia Accuses West Of Using Trade Wars To Get Rare Earth Minerals

Russia has accused the U.S. and Western powers of pursuing “robbery and looting” policies to seize rare earth metals vital for artificial intelligence and military technologies. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said these neo-colonial tactics are visible in U.S. targeting of Ukraine, Greenland, and China for resources. She alleged President Trump specifically sought rare earths from territories under U.S. and allied influence, while Putin offered metals from Russian-controlled eastern Ukraine. Zakharova called rare earths the core prize in the AI trade war, accusing the West of lacking reserves and exploiting other countries to maintain technological dominance.