Ukraine has given one of the largest lithium deposits to a consortium close to Trump

Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed that the winner of the competition for the development of minerals in the Kirovohrad region was the Dobra Lithium Holdings JV, LLC consortium, which includes TechMet and The Rock Holdings. She reported this on her Telegram channel.

According to Svyrydenko, the project involves attracting at least $ 179 million in capital investments. Of this amount, $ 12 million will be directed to new geological exploration and international audit of reserves, and $ 167 million to organize the extraction and enrichment of lithium in the event of confirmation of industrial reserves of the deposit.

The competition for the development of the deposit was held according to a 100-point evaluation system and was open to participation by both Ukrainian and foreign companies and consortia. The winner was determined on the basis of investment proposals, technical readiness and experience in managing similar projects.

Svyrydenko emphasized that the Dobra site is only the first in an ambitious plan to integrate Ukraine into global supply chains of strategic resources. “This project opens up opportunities for Ukraine to become a key supplier of lithium for our partners in the international market,” the prime minister noted.

According to The New York Times, the Dobra Lithium Holdings JV consortium has close ties to the administration of former US President Donald Trump. The company includes Ronald Lauder, heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics empire, who is a longtime friend of Trump and a Republican Party sponsor.

In addition, TechMet’s largest shareholder is the American agency DFC, founded during Trump’s first term in the White House. This aspect is of heightened interest in the project, as it combines the strategic importance of lithium for Ukraine and geopolitical ties with key international partners.

Thus, the decision on the Dobra deposit simultaneously opens up prospects for the development of the Ukrainian mining industry and the attraction of significant foreign investment, but at the same time draws attention to the political and economic context of the participation of American companies.