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War is a battle over information as much as it is about logistics, territory, and bodies. Much has been said of the potential mineral deal between the United States and Ukraine. The Trump administration has made it clear that Ukraine must sign this deal in order to secure continued support from the United States. They’ve asserted that this deal is how Ukraine will pay back for all the hundreds of billions in aid that’s been sent their way.
With the speed of the news cycle, it’s impossible to separate propaganda from the substance. All the reporting is big on headlines and light on nuance. Numbers are thrown around like candy and technical names are tossed like buzzwords. The Ukrainians proclaim that they have $13-15 trillion worth of minerals – so paying back billions to the U.S. will be easy – it’s just that they need security guarantees. Putin claims that Ukraine’s minerals aren’t worth as much – and if the U.S. really wants minerals, it’ll be easier to just buy them straight from Russia. Ultimately, history repeats itself, and this is not the first modern armed conflict to spiral into a struggle over natural resources.
In this Modern MBA episode, we’re diving into the economics of the United States – Ukraine minerals deal, evaluating what parts actually have value, and drawing parallels between what’s happening today to what happened decades ago in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and the 1990 Persian Gulf War.
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25 Comments
Download the CFO's Guide for AI and Machine Learning for FREE at https://netsuite.com/ModernMBA
🎬 Support Modern MBA: https://buymeacoffee.com/modernmba
☕ Support Modern MBA on Patreon: https://patreon.com/modernmba
💬 Join Modern MBA on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/modernmba/
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This is satch a great video. Thank you so much for your effort
Dear MMBA, Thank you for another well developed piece. The only part of this post that was not up to your normal high standards was making the ( not uncommon ) mistake of assuming that President Donald Trump actually knows or means what he is talking about. Having no real socioeconomic or geopolitical philosophy as a plan, it is better to see his statements from the position of how he will appear in "the headlines" as opposed to any real functional policy.
I'm in no position to judge, but to me this seems a tour de force — the kind of programming for which 50 years ago CBS or NBC would get a Peabody Award. It also demonstrates how the news coverage by former powerhouses like the NY Times has so greatly deteriorated, replacing critical reporting and analysis of trends and options with reflexive political takes written to delight its readership.
Though Gulf I was about securing the world's oil supply, not the US's, the 2nd Gulf war was done on multiple assumptions on Sadam's missing chemical weapons and his craziness. We didn't go into Iraq in 2003 for the oil and in 1990-91 we were doing it to secure other people's access to cheap oil from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
A bit too critical on Ukraine.
Western Companies built the Natural Ressource Infrastructure in russia which had also less than ideal conditions and was/is politicaly hostile towards the west. The west still invested. Ukraine is and will be certainly less hostile towards the west.
This Video is way too negative on the subject to be somewhat objective.
Great video, but i still feel Modern MBA should stick to business topics since there are too many other sources for Geopolitics!
While i agree mining in Ukraine is too risky, there are two fundamental differences between Ukraine and others – no ethnic divisions and proximity to Europe.
Basically rehashing what’s been reported on channels like Ben Norton’s and various pro-PRC outlets, but presented in much better fashion. Sure to cause seething.
Huh… so the mineral deal is a pipe dream and, if anything, the Chinese are the most likely ones who're coming in to do the development, again? Let's see.
I think the Ukrainians are lying out of their teeth about their "rare earth" or "critical minerals" all the data are from the Soviets in the 80s, there were never murmurs about developing them before the war. They know they have nothing, but need to bluff the Americans into it
yay new video
Opening with shots at pundits and economists? Spicy!
Technical terms like Manganese? It's just the name of a metal.
Great show, thank you. I learned a lot. I appreciate learning on top of some things I do already know. Like, about how long it takes to get a mine going. And stuff about oil and energy. A fun one for me!
Tho I feel even more terrible for Ukraine. I wonder if , shrugging, the West shouldn't make nuckear reparations to Ukraine, set them up with a few nukes. And let them get about their business, free of Russia. 'Based on events since, the West reconsiders its prior position.'
China is considering joining the peacekeeping operation in Ukraine. This video's timing could not have been more perfect
What happened in Ukraine was no different than what happened in Russia: the worst economic crisis in modern history (metric: per capita GDP).
Many of these minerals are not hard to find – they are hard to separate and purify. The process produces a lot of pollution.
Wheat is not a product that can be exchanged blindly between this or that producer. There are different types of wheat and some consumers prefer one over the other. Ukrainian wheat is consumed largely in the Middle East, for instance.
So what we actually learned today is china is the real winner 🇨🇳😂
Good analysis
It was never about freedom and democracy. Wash wash wash.
Why under the US key minerals is one just called “Energetic”?
Trump wants to exit the war as soon as possible. he is using a mineral deal to make some form of non binding security grantees.
Ukraine was always a mistake.
As a Ukrainian who is mildly interested in geography it was very surprising for me to learn about these "trillions" dollar worth minerals laying around and not being extractedtapped already. If it was that easy to capitalize on them the oligarchs would likely already started the mining operations. But I guess regardless from whether these riches exist or not I don't really care about them too much. The profits from this future are either going to be stolen by our oligarchs or russian oligarchs or US corporations. If the price is peace then Trump and his corpo-buddies can have them all for all I care. The only question now is whether current US administration is as knowledgeable and rational as you or if they keep clowning around this deal like bunch of idiots promising their not-that-knowledgeable voterbase some future trillions they forget about as soon as war ends.