Russian "Agent" Bullies Ukraine to Screw China
Trump and Putin's bromance is a warning to BRICS and EU
Donald Trump has demanded a share of Ukraine’s mineral supplies as a means of refunding the USA’s military support during Russia’s invasion. This is the latest in a deepening transatlantic rift, whereby Trump’s America is showing little to no interest in maintaining strategic, allied relations with Europe. This may be because Trump is an alleged Russian agent known as Krasnov, as one former KGB officer declared last week. Whether or not this is true, Trump’s dramatic swing to Putin’s right-hand side has sent shivers of fear through the EU who will potentially have to meet Russia’s military presence without the mighty support of the USA. The newly-elected Conservative Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, boldly stated this week that Europe needs to seek independence from the USA, questioning whether NATO in its “current form” will exist in the near future.
This is not the only major change. Trump’s grab for Ukraine’s mineral resources confirms that we are in the age of re-industrialisation as national interest in controlling resource supplies trumps the soft power of globalisation. This is, in part, an attempt to strangle China’s economic growth who, by gradually gaining control of 75% of the world’s mineral supplies over the last few decades, has centred itself as the leading producer of renewable energy infrastructure. This means that ditching fossil fuels – already an enormous ask for Western economies whose wealth is tied to the flow of oil – comes at the even bigger price of ensuring China’s rise in power, GDP, and market share. Despite being in the middle of a planetary crisis, the USA in particular has shown preference for competing, rather than collaborating, with China. Ukraine’s mineral deposit, which account for around 5% of critical raw materials, are a boon to the United States, which is overly dependent on its sworn enemy for supplying materials to its industrial sector. The National Mining Association reported in 2024: “The U.S. is 100 percent dependent on imports for 20 different minerals and more than 50 percent import dependent for an additional 30 mineral commodities. This trend is unsustainable in a highly competitive world economy in which the demand for minerals continues to grow and supply stability is a growing concern.”
Enter Europe. Under Macron’s sway, the EU has finally woken up to the fact that they will be left behind in the new, fractured world. Swaddled in regulation, the EU is a boring and bureaucratic destination for businesses, in particular the digital service industry which it was banking on leading. With AI in the picture, and as the only world power actively regulating its development, the EU had all but signed its own death warrant. But in 2023, Macron embarked on a tour of resource-rich nations in the Global South to suggest a “third option” of development, one that wouldn’t have them choosing between the two major world powers and enemies, China and the USA. Today, it was reported that the EU had also approached Ukraine in the same vein, proposing their own deal to develop the minerals and support the invaded nation’s military defence. The EU’s Commissioner for industrial strategy, Stephane Sejourne, pointedly commented: “The added value Europe offers is that we will never demand a deal that's not mutually beneficial.”
If Europe doesn’t access those minerals, it will likely have to turn to China for support, making the geopolitical tapestry even more confusing. China is Russia’s ally, both being instrumental in the formation of BRICS, which allegedly seeks to support a multipolar world and development in the Global South. BRICS was Putin’s idea, along with a currency that would topple the US dollar hegemony by making it possible for BRICS nations to trade between each other using a BRICS coin. Yet, just days after Trump’s inauguration, Putin announced no such plans.
BRICS was part of a long-term strategy – with his alleged agent in the White House, will the two biggest gas producing and resource-rich nations in the world team up to insure each other’s survival?
Indeed, AFP France even reported that Putin supports Trump’s mineral deal in Ukraine, despite them being a target for Russia. Just hours later, the Washington Post released the bombshell news that Russia is willing to open up its borders to American partners seeking mineral supplies, stressing that Russia is much richer in ore than Ukraine. Given both Trump and Putin’s tendency to weaponise misinformation and narrative, could this have been the end-goal all along, sweetened by the relief the world will feel if Trump relinquishes Ukraine’s resources for Russia’s?
The USA and Russia are extraordinarily resource rich. Russia’s natural resources total 75 trillion USD, making it the richest country in the world in resources. The USA comes in second, with a total of 45 trillion USD. China comes in sixth, with just 23 trillion USD of natural resources, but has made up for its resource shortcomings by dominating the supplies coming out of most countries in the Global South. Yet, teaming up the USA’s production capacity with Russia’s mineral deposits could challenge China’s position in the centre of the industrial web. Trump’s vision of a deregulated national market running on oil drilled out of protected zones could even create the conditions for cost competitiveness with China, whilst putting millions of Americans at risk. This, coupled with the USA’s industrial might and Trump’s sledgehammer negotiating tactics, could bully BRICS-aligned nations into joining the US-Russia rule, isolating China from its suppliers and customers.
China has insisted that relations between Moscow and Beijing are as good as ever – but three’s a crowd. If Washington was willing to collaborate with Beijing, they would be proposing trade deals instead of tariffs. Much like for Europe, this new bromance should be causing unease in the BRICS alliance. It could also provide an opportunity for an EU-BRICS partnership.
The EU’s days of empire are long gone. It has little to offer by way of minerals and energy, the currency of all economies. Since the second world war, Europe has mostly depended on modes of neo-colonisation by weaponising its financial, banking and political services against developing nations to ensure access to their resources. Beyond being totally amoral, this strategy is unsustainable. Eventually, countries say no. Now is the EU’s opportunity to pay some recompense for the damage caused and weaponise its financial, legal and political service industries to unleash sustainable development and democratic policies across its former colonies in exchange for access to enough minerals to re-open its extinct industrial sector and ensure the requisite independence in an increasingly fractious world. This then opens up new channels for China’s growth in emerging consumer markets which will both need access to renewable infrastructure and education to develop self-sustaining production of universal basic services.
Markets, for all the trouble they cause, do promote peace. Europe has learned the hard way what happens when a nation strikes out on its own – twice. Mutual economic and productive interdependence has been a salve on thousands of years of European feudalism. Surely, the EU can put its narrative war against China aside? And surely China, in the face of a disinterested Russia and rabid USA, can see the benefits of working directly with Europe? And hopefully – hopefully – the rest of the world can forgive Europe her past crimes so as to arm against even greater powers in the 21st century?
As a European, I may be biased as to Europe’s actual potential influence. She could very well be left to rot. It behooves the EU, then, to make the first move and cut ties first with irrational American policies punishing China, and then with an economic system built on exploitation. The EU has an opportunity to offer economic relationships of equality to partners who suffer political powerlessness. This is her chance to break from the past and move towards that multipolar future Russia insisted it wanted until a fellow strongman took office in the West. Alone, the EU can do nothing against Trump – she can’t even capitulate enough to lessen his scorn. Russia and the USA know the EU is no threat. But she could be a thread which reinforces the tapestry which faces being torn apart by Trump and Putin’s grip on the world.
It’s interesting and rather depressing that you’ve left trumps plans for Canada totally out of your discussion. Cripple our economy then annex us, colonialism at its best. We are resource rich, right next door with the ‘longest undefended border in the world', and, obviously, couldn’t begin to protect ourselves from a military threat from the USA. And, Russia is right next door too. They could split the anticipated bounty of the Arctic. Don’t forget about us!
Minerals - a great reason for the US to be whole heartedly supporting Ukraine. But Donald J. Russian Agent trying to make it transactional, as usual, while allied with Russia. Which smells like Trump will lie and get the minerals, and throw Ukraine under the Russian bus.