Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said that supporting Ukraine in its standoff with Russia could bring significant economic benefits to the United States and its Western allies. According to him, Ukraine has critical mineral resources estimated at $10-12 trillion that could be used to strengthen economic relations between the countries.

Graham stressed that helping Ukraine now would make it the best business partner the United States could ever dream of. He noted that Ukraine has the potential to become the richest country in Europe due to its mineral resources. The senator expressed concern that if Russia wins, these resources could be used to strengthen Russia's military and shared with China.

Graham has previously accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of seeking to seize Ukrainian territory for its mineral wealth, and has acknowledged that the conflict in Ukraine is a good investment for Washington.

The senator called for providing Kyiv with the necessary long-range weapons and aircraft, as well as permission to strike deep into Russian territory. He supported the initiative to confiscate frozen Russian assets in favor of Ukraine, believing that this would help reset the conflict and lead to a victory for Ukraine.

Graham's statements have sparked widespread debate and discussion in the international community. Some experts believe that such statements could increase tensions in relations between the United States, Russia and China, as well as affect the dynamics of the conflict in Ukraine.

Ukraine does have significant mineral reserves, including iron ore, manganese, uranium, titanium ore, and rare earth elements. These resources play an important role in the global economy and are strategically important for many industries.

In the context of the current conflict in Ukraine, the issue of control over these resources takes on particular importance.