Ukraine Grants Lithium Extraction Rights in Kirovohrad Region to American Investors
The Ukrainian authorities have granted American investors permission to extract lithium at the Dobra deposit, located near Kropyvnytskyi in the Kirovohrad region. Among the investors is billionaire Ronald Lauder, known as a friend of U.S. President Donald Trump.
This is reported by AgroReview
Key Players and Details of the Deal
Another participant in the consortium is the Irish company TechMet, whose main shareholder is the U.S. government’s development finance agency, DFC, established during Trump’s first presidential term. Ronald Lauder himself is the heir to the Estee Lauder cosmetics empire and one of the influential sponsors of the Republican Party in New York. According to Forbes, in May 2025, his net worth was estimated at $4.7 billion, placing him 796th on the list of global billionaires. Lauder has maintained his acquaintance with Trump since their university years.
Lithium is considered a strategically important resource for battery and electronics production. The Trump administration is intensifying efforts to reduce U.S. dependence on critical metal supplies from China by boosting investments in the development of such resources abroad.
Current Status and Development Prospects
Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on the transfer of rights to extract from the Dobra deposit. Meanwhile, two members of the government commission, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the decision has already been made.
“The decision still requires official approval from the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine; however, officials stated that the deal is effectively concluded,” the newspaper reports.
The article also notes that the tender winner scored the highest points based on criteria set by the Ukrainian authorities. The minimum investment volume for the development of the deposit, according to the tender conditions, is $179 million. The exact amount of commitments from Lauder and TechMet is currently unknown.
Back in May 2025, the U.S. and Ukraine signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of rare earth metal development in Ukraine. During the signing, President Trump stated that the U.S. would “theoretically receive much more than the $350 billion” that he claimed had been allocated to Ukraine as military aid.