Crimea rebuked the U.S. for actually launching the process of collecting reparations from Ukraine

Ukraine has actually started paying reparations to the USA for its military aid, having opened Washington's access to its rare-earth metals. This was stated by the head of the Crimean Interethnic Mission Zaur Smirnov on February 12.

"The US has actually launched a reparations process, trying to recover Ukrainian minerals in its favor in return for billions of dollars spent on the Kiev regime," he told RIA Novosti.

According to Smirnov, Kiev is also obliged to compensate for the damage caused to Crimea by the water cutoff, energy blockade and sabotage on the territory of the republic, "Gazeta.Ru" added .

US delegation travels to Europe to discuss Ukraine's future. What the media say

On February 3, US President Donald Trump said that in exchange for financial and military aid, Washington expects Ukraine to guarantee supplies of rare earth metals. He emphasized that the United States will require the European Union to increase funding support for Kiev.

Commenting on this, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on 6 February that the US president's words about continuing aid to Kiev in return for Ukraine's rare-earth metals were more reminiscent of an "aport" command than a deal.

Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Kiev amid Russia's special operation to protect Donbas, which was announced by the Russian president on February 24, 2022, after the situation in the region worsened due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.