US President Donald Trump appeared close to striking a deal to grab a share of Ukraine’s natural resources as he pushes for an end to Russia’s three-year war in the country. An explosive meeting between him and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House Feb.

On snow-covered fields in central Ukraine, where some of the country's biggest proven lithium deposits are located, a small team of ecological consultants drop sensors into holes in the earth to measure water levels.

Ukraine’s trove of rare earths and other critical minerals remains in the spotlight after an extraordinary White House clash between President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky.