Ukraine's lithium deposits rank among the largest in Europe, attracting significant international interest, including from the United States, which is now seeking "payback" for its past military assistance.
Mykola Hrechukha traced an outline in the snow, sketching his vision for Ukraine’s future lithium mine. He described a deep central shaft with multiple side tunnels, explaining, "The lithium is abundant everywhere, with the highest concentration between 200 and 500 meters deep. We should be able to extract 4,300 tonnes a day—the potential is enormous."
Yet, for now, the site remains untouched. The deposit lies beneath a vast, sloping field once used for growing beetroot and wheat during the Soviet era. The proposed mine entrance sits in the abandoned village of Liodiane, now an overgrown grove of acacia and maple trees. A lone security guard occupies the 150-hectare site, living in an old Gaz-53 truck, with wild boars and even the occasional wolf passing through.
Situated in Ukraine’s Kirovohrad region, about 350 kilometers (217 miles) south of Kyiv, the lithium deposit is monitored by solar-powered scientific instruments that track air temperature and seismic activity. In 2017, a Ukrainian company, UkrLithiumMining, secured a 20-year government license to develop the site for $5 million. Geological surveys confirm the presence of petalite, an ore crucial for producing batteries for electric vehicles and mobile phones.
However, recent developments have complicated the situation. Last week, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent visited Kyiv with a surprising demand: the U.S. sought a 50% stake in Ukraine’s mineral resources, including lithium, oil, gas, and key infrastructure such as ports. The White House framed this as "repayment" for past U.S. military aid, which has totaled $69.2 billion.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refused to sign the agreement, insisting that Ukraine needed security guarantees before considering any deals involving its vast natural resources, which account for 5% of global mineral reserves. He also pointed out that the amount the U.S. was demanding far exceeded the aid it had provided, and noted that other international partners, including the EU, Canada, and the UK, might be interested in investing as well.
In a speech on Wednesday, just before former President Donald Trump labeled him "a dictator," Zelenskyy firmly stated, "I will not sell Ukraine away." He expressed openness to negotiations on a "serious document" ensuring Russia could not attack Ukraine again.
Despite the tension, U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators continue discussions to repair the rift and finalize a deal, according to Bloomberg.
Trump’s aggressive approach has drawn widespread criticism, with some commentators calling it "mafia imperialism" and likening it to colonial-era exploitation. Volodymyr Landa, a senior economist at Kyiv’s Centre for Economic Strategy, remarked, "It’s as if we lost a war to America. This feels like reparations." Ukraine's mineral wealth, valued at $14.8 trillion, includes lithium, titanium, uranium, coal, steel, iron ore, and undersea shale gas—many of which remain untapped due to political instability.
Much of Ukraine’s lithium is located in Russian-occupied areas. One major deposit is near the southern port of Berdiansk, seized by Russia in early 2022. Another lies in Shevchenkivskyi district, currently on the frontline in eastern Donetsk. The Liodiane deposit is one of the few still under Ukrainian control.
Landa described Ukraine’s mineral sector as "high risk, high reward." Foreign investment in Ukrainian mining dates back to the 19th century, when French, Belgian, and British engineers developed the coal industry. Donetsk—captured by Russia in 2014—was originally known as Hughesovka, named after Welsh industrialist John Hughes, who founded a steel plant and several mines there.
Residents near Liodiane support lithium mining but reject Trump’s proposed terms. "This is too much," said Tetiana Slyvenko, a local administrator. "He wants to take resources from a country at war. How are we supposed to live? We have children. The U.S. is trying to strip us of our economic potential, just as it did with Native Americans."
Slyvenko described life under the constant threat of Russian attacks. Rockets frequently pass over her village, Kopanky, on their way to western Ukraine. In December, she filmed three flying overhead. "I swore out loud," she admitted. "They were so low. We’re exhausted. Our emotions are raw." Just two weeks ago, a Shahed drone crashed near the lithium deposit.
Nearby, in the village of Haiivka, 72-year-old Stanislav Ryabchenko paused from ice fishing to share his thoughts. "We need jobs, and the mine could bring young people back. But what Trump suggests is blackmail. He knows we can’t push the Russians out alone. We need a partnership, not a takeover," he said, proudly displaying two freshly caught carp.
UkrLithiumMining’s chief strategy officer, Denys Alyoshin, emphasized that his company is actively seeking foreign investment. The mine requires $350 million to develop according to EU environmental standards. However, construction can only begin once the war ends. Ideally, Ukraine would process the lithium domestically, refining it into battery-grade lithium carbonate.
Trump has also expressed interest in Ukraine’s "rare earth" minerals, even though Ukraine possesses few of these. Experts believe he may have confused them with critical materials like lithium and graphite. Alyoshin dispelled another misconception: "People think you just dig up money. We’ve been working on this for five or six years. With investment, production could begin by 2028."
Back in Liodiane, the village remains eerily quiet, apart from birdsong. In the Soviet era, it housed agricultural workers on a collective farm. The last resident died in 1983. Decades ago, Soviet geologists discovered lithium here but deemed it unworthy of extraction. Today, that assessment has changed.
Hrechukha noted that the region has an available workforce, thanks to the recent closure of a uranium mine in nearby Smolino. He reiterated his company’s willingness to collaborate with foreign partners—but only within the framework of international law. He also expressed admiration for Elon Musk, whose Tesla operations depend on lithium. "We’re looking for a long-term client," he said.
As for Trump’s demands, Hrechukha remained skeptical. Surveying the snowy field, he quipped, "I don’t think U.S. soldiers will be coming here anytime soon. It’s more likely aliens from another planet will turn up first."
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