More than 50 per cent of Ukraine’s critical rare earth mineral resources are in regions illegally annexed by Vladimir Putin and partially occupied by his forces

Donald Trump isn’t the only president who knows a bad deal when he sees one. Volodymyr Zelensky’s refusal to sign away nearly half of his country’s rare earth minerals for very few future guarantees is one of many reasons why Trump has been driven into a rage at his counterpart in Kyiv.

A policy analyst told Yahoo News that allowing Russia to keep captured territory could 'upend international laws and norms' and cause 'chaos' internationally.

Russia’s attempt to blame Ukraine, which Trump has now parroted, is part of a longstanding argument that doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.