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The United States and the European Union signed a landmark agreement on Friday aimed at securing the supply of critical minerals essential for defence, semiconductors, and electric vehicle batteries.
This pact represents a significant diplomatic shift for the Trump administration, which has traditionally prioritised bilateral ties with specific European allies over formal cooperation with the EU.
The two powers hope to mitigate the risks of the current overconcentration of resource control (now dominated by China) by synchronising their strategies.
During the signing of the memorandum of understanding, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted that the combined economic weight of the U.S. and EU makes them the world’s largest consumers of these vital resources.
Rubio emphasised that allowing a single nation to monopolise these supplies creates an “unacceptable risk” to global security and industrial stability.
The agreement follows recent export restrictions imposed by Beijing, which have targeted materials necessary for high-tech weaponry and green energy infrastructure.
A key component of the new action plan involves exploring the establishment of minimum price floors for critical minerals.
This measure is designed to prevent external powers from destabilising Western markets with cheap exports. Additionally, the U.S. and EU plan to coordinate subsidies, synchronise stockpiling efforts, and invest in joint research.
This framework mirrors similar strategic mineral alliances Washington has recently established with other key partners, including Japan, Mexico, and Australia.
