President Donald Trump’s claim that the potential “trillion-dollar deal” he is on the cusp of signing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would offer the US easy access to a bonanza of rare earth minerals is at odds with the widespread assessment of current and former US officials who say there’s little actual evidence of great rare earth and other mineral wealth in Ukraine and much of what does exist will be difficult,

Trump has framed the emerging deal that would give the US access to Ukraine’s deposits of rare earth minerals as a chance for Kyiv to pay back the US for aid already sent.

The agreed-upon framework deal is a preliminary step toward a comprehensive agreement that will be subject to ratification by Ukraine’s parliament.