Is This the Reason the West's Pouring Money into Ukraine?
Ulrich Blum, Treasure Trove of Lithium in Eastern Europe, and the Green Energy Transition
Dear reader, let me propose a theory to you...
What if the real reason the West keeps backing Ukraine in its fight with Russia isn’t about democracy or territorial integrity, but something far less noble — like a crucial resource vital for the West’s energy transition?
Now, before you dismiss me as a deranged conspiracy theorist (just kidding, I know most of us are on the same page here), hear me out... I come armed with facts.
Below is a recent video from Ulrich Blum, General Director of the German Lithium Institute, that’s been circulating online. And for good reason — Blum openly admits that Europe could source most of lithium it needs for its energy transition from Ukraine. He’s quite straightforward about it. Take a look.
If you'd rather read it, here's also the exact quote:
Um, if Russia gets the Donbas, especially and controls even more, because in the center of Ukraine there is the Dnipro-Donetsk lithium deposit, which is much richer and much better and much more exploitable. And then, of course, the situation for Europe, uh, gets worse because Europe could get most of the minerals necessary for energy transition from Ukraine. And Ukraine, by that, could reconstruct finance the Reconstruction of its country which will cost much, much more than the World Bank estimates. So, um, if we can drive Putin out of all these areas, it's a big, big benefit not only for energy transition in Europe but also the Reconstruction of Ukraine. And that is, of course, what Putin doesn't want. Yeah. And, uh, let me add one word, um, even if he only controls Donbas, all the rest of the region is at risk. And do you want to invest if the region is at risk? No.
Make of this what you will, but this sounds like reason enough for the West to continue its proxy conflict with Russia there.
Lithium is absolutely critical in producing batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, as well as storage systems for renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. You know, all those things that come bundled with the Western governments' push to “electrify the world by 2050.” They call it the green energy transition or net zero.
Regardless of how unrealistic those net-zero goals might seem and how flawed the green ideology driving this push is, we can't deny it's happening. And because lithium is central to it, the West will undoubtedly need tons of it. Just take a look at the chart below.
By 2030, global demand for lithium is expected to exceed 2.4 million metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent. That’s double the forecasted demand for 2025. Five years later, it's projected to reach 3.8 million tons, tripling the demand from 2025.
If you look at other projections, demand growth for lithium is forecasted to range anywhere from 400% to 4,000% over the coming decades. So, whichever way you slice it, the West will need a lot of lithium.
But where will it all come from?
The EU countries are known for their strict and often unreasonable regulations and environmental requirements, which make it prohibitively expensive for investors to start new mining projects. A new lithium mine in France or Spain? Not (bloody) likely.
For years, they've relied on other countries for their lithium, and that's just not going to change. But without more mining capacity and investment, and with demand significantly outpacing supply, lithium costs for battery makers could soon spin out of control, potentially killing those “net zero” ambitions in their infancy.
Enter Ukraine. As you probably already realize, the Eastern European nation is a treasure chest of lithium.
Here’s a quote from a recent article from Kleinman Center for Energy Policy:
According to preliminary estimates, researchers believe that Ukraine is a treasure trove of lithium, holding about 500,000 tons of the “non-renewable mineral that makes renewable energy possible.”
Now, that’s a very conservative estimate, and remember, we're only talking about lithium here. Ukraine also has plenty of oil, natural gas, coal, rare earth minerals, and more. These resources are mainly in the eastern part of the country, where military operations are happening right now.
Even U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina has shown a strong interest in Ukrainian natural resources before:
They're sitting on $10 to $12 trillion of critical minerals in Ukraine. They could be the richest country in all of Europe. I don't want to give that money and those assets to Putin to share with China. If we help Ukraine now, they can become the best business partner we ever dreamed of. That $10 to $12 trillion of critical mineral assets could be used by Ukraine and the West, not given to Putin and China. This is a very big deal.
Once more, make of all this what you will.
Could Putin also be after Ukraine’s lithium resources? Sure, but for him, it's definitely not a matter of economic or political survival.
Regards,
Lau Vegys
So typical, Western double speak, defending Democracy when everything they’ve done is antithetical to that very noble and stated rationale.
Liars the lot of them, I wonder how many of the 600,000KIA and nearly 1million injured of which circa 280,000 are amputees feel about having given up so much for a handful of corrupt politicians and corporate directors and their shareholders, this lolly scramble for a lolly scramble it is will be corrupted to buggery, every sloth in amongst it, mineral rights and interests granted amongst themselves the people of Ukraine missing out…
I contend that before even the Minsk Accords were signed that this was all known, that it’s been long known, hence every reason not to conform the terms of the Minsk Accords.
Why they couldn’t just agree to neutrality, to not joining NATO but joining the E.U as agreed Russia is beyond me, because of greed, arrogance and hubris, they are going to lose this resource all of it… serves them right..
They’ve gone about it as the greed obsessed they are, lying, propagandising their untruths, projecting they’re own turgid behaviour onto Russia, a nation that stepped up to stop the artillery and missiles being fired on the Russian speaking Donbas inhabitants… so much for wanting to protect their citizens, shelling and lobbing missiles at them, whilst the West decided out of greed in another lame brain demented decision as they pursued the theft and plunder of these trillions in resources, to arm Nazis turning a blind eye to the very scourge that Europe had not that long ago fought to rid from the continent.
Desperate greed fuelled fools, throwing whatever vestige of common sense remained right out of the window, as they pursued with Rose tinted glasses this trove… little wonder Mon petite Macron has with most other E.U supposed leaders been so belligerent, deriding an$ denigrating a far greater and much more civilised power than they will ever be…Russia’s history stretching back over a millennia, France and others not so.. yet the rhetoric used belies that fact, desperate people, equally so that idiot Scholz with sidekicks Baerbock, Harbeck, happy to let Nordstream get blown up by their allies as they were tucked by said ally, believing Russians would turn and run, that they fought with shovels, that recycled washing machine chips were utilised in their jet fighters 😂😂😂😂 the economy per the mad one Van der Leyer, “in tatters, tatters I tell you” after she along her U.S and U.K mates whacked 20,000 sanctions on Russia..
Thankfully Putin a bright well educated man with both a law degree and PhD in Economics his dissertation written on the The Economics of Natural Resource Management applied Internationally would seem to suggest karma has truly bitten the Western liars fair in the gunga.
Putin it seems so well prepared for this time he is President for this role required of him, would be and likely is acutely aware of his task and what under the circumstances that have befallen him, needs to be done.
I would venture he instinctively knows it has fallen upon him to lead his nation just as the Russian people have required when confronted previously, when assaulted Western hubris, lies and corruption, that he is to lead the nation and those rescued from the Donbas together now as it transpires a vast majority of the Global South and many in the West who are willing Russia to defeat the hegemon, to end this tyranny, in the process by doing so, freeing those who desire it from the yoke of this evil, of tyranny, almost as if pre ordained…
Certainly given the hysteria, the antics of the Western hegemon, the panic of the likes of the Lindsay Grahams the quoted German Ullrich Blum and his E.U compatriots, that resulting their comments and admissions it can be inferred unequivocally it’s the m9ney baby, the loot that motivates them… democracy 😂😂 thus as stated almost as if being pre ordained, guided by a force unknown, greater than is understood Russia marches onwards…
Recall however the agreement Putin had agreed that was initialled in Türkiye just weeks into this conflagration before being tipped on its head British P.M Boris Johnson, gave Ukraine control the very territory they have now lost, that the Western puppet and now illegitimate and past President, Elinsky, he who made illegal the use of the letter “Z” go figure, would retain control of in return for as reported the NYTimes de-arming, read demilitarisation and de-nazification, being neutral - No NATO, but being a member of the E.U, nothing unreasonable, the Donbas being autonomous, but still in Ukraine, the agreement as with Minsk Accords, not that it meant anything, to be ratified the u.N Security Council… and they said no stick it? Madness…
Putin a deeply religious man, as is most of the leadership, including especially the new Defence Minister, a well known regular attendee at his local Church and assistant to priests conducting Sunday services, together the nation of the Russian Federation, with 87% being acknowledged as having a strong, note… strong belief in god, a people noted for being of deep belief and faith, now know they are in the fight of their lives, just as their forefathers were 80+ years ago, the populace in Russia know equally, unequivocally that upon them rests the future of humanity, of true freedom loving peoples the world over, just as god always intended. It is this belief, this faith amongst many issues that are anathema to these Western elites, these tyrants who want nothing more than Russia bending a knee in supplication to them… it won’t happen.
Russia has the means and the collective will to ensure such acquiescence never ever results.. of that you can be assured.. they will prefer death over subservience, they had a portent of that outcome immediately post the end of the Cold War and under no circumstances will ever revisit that existence, preferring as Putin has stated martyrdom than living in hell, it won’t be them going to hell for having started and provoked events resulting in such… nope… as Putin knows only to well the motivation and fear that drives these people as he stated …
The vampire Ball is over, with bellies full of human flesh and pockets full of stolen money VVPutin 2024 …. whilst for now we must contend as we know and stated so well many years prior, almost presciently by another great Russian a dissident who proclaimed …. "We know that they are lying, they know that they are lying, they even know that we know they are lying, we also know that they know we know they are lying too, they of course know that we certainly know they know we know they are lying too as well, but they are still lying. Alexander Solzhenitsyn… never a truer word spoken, particularly given what we know of this conflict, the obfuscation, lies, black swans, blaming Russia for their own War Crimes… whilst the essence of these desperate people seems to reflect as was once stated another great thinker and leader of men from a distant age, but words that again are as equally poignant today, as when written, being reflective of what it is that it seems is the intent of these people…
A Truly Evil Enemy Will Not Ever Hesitate to Burn and Raze his Own Nation to The Ground, Doing What He/She Needs to Survive All in Order And to be Able to Rule over It’s Ashes… of What Remains… To Rule Nothing…
Sun Tzu - The Art Of War..
Kia Kaha from New Zealand
I don't think Ukraine's lirhium is that important. There is plenty of lithium already discovered & under development in Scandinavia, Portugal or even Germany, that Ukraine's "yes there could be some" lithium is not important. Oil and gas maybe, coal and iron likely and for sure grain are the important commodities here. Not lithium.
I wrote an article about that:
https://geocap.substack.com/p/ukraines-resources?r=1o0enm