Hopes for a “third neighbor”: Mongolia’s new government relies on rare earth resources to protect against aggression from China and Russia

On June 18, 2025, the Great State Khural appointed a new Mongolian government led by Gombojavyn Zandanshatar (Mongolian People’s Party, MPP), previously the speaker of the parliament.

These changes were prompted by public protests triggered by corruption scandals involving the family of former Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene (MPP) and unpopular moves by Ulaanbaatar in favor of the Kremlin.

A key change in the Mongolian coalition was the inclusion of the liberal, pro-American “Civic Will – Green Party” (CWGP), which took control of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the body responsible for mineral resource issues.