German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil on Sunday urged closer international cooperation on critical raw materials as he prepared to travel to Washington for high-level talks with counterparts from major industrialized nations.
Speaking before his departure from Berlin, Klingbeil, who also serves as vice chancellor and leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), said Germany and the European Union remain committed to fair, rule-based and reliable trade. He emphasized that access to critical raw materials such as lithium, cobalt and rare earths is essential for economic growth, technological development and job security.
The United States has invited finance ministers from several leading economies to discuss securing access to these materials, whose global supply chains are highly concentrated and largely dependent on a small number of countries, including China.
“Access to critical raw materials and reliable supply chains is of utmost importance for the economy and jobs,” Klingbeil said, adding that Germany has a strong interest in expanding international cooperation to strengthen supply security, reduce strategic dependencies and ensure stable economic conditions. He stressed that joint action should be taken wherever possible.
