Lithium alliance with Washington: why the development of the Dobra deposit was entrusted to Trump’s friend
9 January 15:27
Ukraine has selected the winner of the tender for the development of the large Dobra lithium deposit in the Kirovohrad region. According to The New York Times, the tender was won by a consortium whose investors include billionaire Ronald Lauder, a longtime friend of US President Donald Trump, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
The decision has already been made by the tender commission and is expected to be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in the near future.
Who is behind the project
Key investors in the consortium:
- Ronald Lauder — heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics empire, billionaire, and influential public figure in the US. He has known Donald Trump since his student days and, according to American media, it was Lauder who suggested to Trump the idea of a possible purchase of Greenland.
- TechMet is an energy and raw materials company partly owned by a US government investment agency created during Trump’s first presidential term.
This composition of participants makes the project not only economically but also politically sensitive.
Why is this important
Lithium is one of the key minerals for batteries, electric vehicles, and the defense industry, and competition for access to its reserves around the world has increased sharply.
According to two members of the competition commission cited by the NYT, the tender was conducted impartially, and the winning consortium met most of the established criteria.
At the same time, the project could be one of the first to be implemented under the agreement between Ukraine and the US on cooperation in the field of mineral resources, which provides American companies with priority access to participate in new Ukrainian subsoil projects.
What is known about the Dobra field
In early September, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the terms of the tender for the conclusion of a production sharing agreement (PSA) within the Dobra deposit.
The government’s resolution provides for the possibility of extracting nine minerals, including:
- lithium,
- gold,
- other associated resources.
The field is considered one of the most promising in Ukraine in terms of potential volumes and strategic importance.
