Milorad Dodik, the separatist leader of Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Republika Srpska, offered the entity’s mineral resources to US President Donald Trump on May 21, in exchange for guarantees for its sovereignty.

Dodik’s move comes amid increasing isolation of his ruling SNSD party from other parties and was seen as a desperate move by the secessionist leader to gain Washington’s attention and protection to evade prosecution. 

Speaking at an extraordinary session of Republika Srpska’s parliament on May 21, Dodik claimed that the ongoing political crisis in Bosnia & Herzegovina is part of a broader plot by Western powers, led by Germany, to seize control over the country’s mineral wealth. According to Dodik, the international community’s High Representative Christian Schmidt is just an “executor” of these policies aimed at stripping Republika Srpska of its property.

In a speech that opposition parties boycotted, Dodik presented himself as the last barrier preventing foreign control over the country’s natural resources.

These are understood to include lithium after Swiss-based Arcore AG announced in 2023 that it had carried out exploration work to uncover a deposit in the Lopare region. Arcore said it had explored “extensive deposits of lithium carbonate, magnesium, potassium and boron” that revealed “huge potential for greater import independence and supply of critical raw materials throughout Europe over several decades”. 

However, there is controversy over efforts to develop the deposits, which face opposition from local residents and environmental group.

“We know the US is deeply concerned about its strategic dependence on Chinese minerals. We know President Trump’s administration prioritised restoring and securing critical mineral supply chains through partnerships with friendly states. We know the US explored cooperation in Ukraine, South America and Africa – with varying degrees of success,” Dodik said.

“That is why today, for the first time, I publicly declare: Republika Srpska is ready to explore a strategic mineral partnership with Hungary and the US. We are ready to support America’s efforts to diversify and secure supply chains for critical minerals. We are ready to offer value. We are ready to offer transparency. We are ready to offer cooperation based on sovereignty – not corruption, not war, not manipulation,” he added.

“Give us freedom, confirm our already existing sovereignty, guarantee the Dayton Agreement, our political autonomy and independence – and we are partners,” Dodik also said.

Dodik has been attempting to get Trump’s attention since he was elected US president for a second term. Republika Srpska’s leader has been claiming that Washington will understand his position on the entity’s attempts for secession and would back it. However, so far Dodik’s overtures have not received any response from Trump or his administration. He and his family remain sanctioned by the US.