Resumen de Walking a tightrope: the EU and US interest in Ukraine’s critical raw materials

Valeriya Izhyk

• This article explores the geopolitical and economic dimensions of the global race for critical raw materials (CRMs), focusing on Ukraine’s emerging strategic role. As the European Union and the United States strive to secure supply chains essential for decarbonisation, digitalisation, and defence, Ukraine has become a focal point due to its abundant untapped CRM reserves. The piece contrasts the EU’s technocratic, standards-driven partnership approach with the U.S.’s more assertive and commercially advantageous strategy, highlighting concerns over extractive dynamics, value retention, and governance standards. The EU must recalibrate its engagement, anchoring CRM cooperation within Ukraine’s EU accession process and broader strategic integration. The article offers policy recommendations to promote transparent, sustainable, and participatory CRM governance, advocating for Ukraine’s transformation into a green industrial partner rather than a resource periphery. Ultimately, it presents Ukraine’s CRM sector as a litmus test for Europe’s geopolitical vision, democratic values, and green transition ambitions.