Trump says that Ukraine “can be Russian one day,” looks at his mineral resources before the Zelenskyy-Vance meeting

President Trump has suggested that Ukraine “can be Russian one day”, in an interview broadcast only a few days before Vice President JD Vance met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a security summit in Germany.

“They can reach an agreement, they may not get to a deal. They can be Russians someday, or they may not be Russians someday,” he said repeatedly before assuming the position for his second term that would quickly end the end quickly. The war launched almost three years ago by Russia. He made the comments in a part of an interview with Fox News that was broadcast on Monday.

Ukraine and many of its European partners have worried that Trump can try to comply with his votes by pressing Zelenskyy in a high fire agreement with Russia that allows Moscow to maintain control over some of the approximately 25% of the forces of the territory of the territory Ukrainian Vladimir Putin. busy.

In exchange for a truce with Russia, Zelenskyy has made it clear that he would want security guarantees of the United States, such as support for Ukrainian NATO membership or an agreement to deploy peace maintenance troops, fearing that Russia can regroup and attack again.

Trump said on Monday that his special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, whom the president has in charge of putting an end to the conflict, will be sent to Ukraine in the near future. Vance is configured for meet Zelenskyy At a security conference in Munich on Friday.

In response to Mr. Trump’s comments, the Kremlin said Tuesday that the situation in Ukraine “corresponds greatly to the words of President Trump.”

“The fact that an important part of Ukraine wants to become Russia, and has already done so, is a fact,” said spokesman Dmitry Peskov to journalists in an apparent reference to Moscow Unilateral declaration in September 2022 that four regions occupied in southeastern Ukraine had been annexed.

“Any phenomenon can occur with a 50 percent probability, whether or not,” said Peskov, adding that there was nothing new to inform about discussions with the United States about the Ukraine War.

Trump and Ukraine mineral wealth

President Trump has suggested that future US military aid to Ukraine could depend on kyiv committing to a commercial agreement that gives access to its rare earth minerals. He has framed the idea as a return of American investment made to support the defensive efforts of Ukraine, the help that has already promoted more than $ 65 billion.

“We are going to have all this money there, and I say that I want it back. And I told them that I want the equivalent, like $ 500 billion in rare earths,” Trump said Monday. “They have essentially agreed to do that, so at least we don’t feel stupid.”

Rare earth mineralsOf which Ukraine has significant reserves, they are vital raw materials for a wide range of technology, including most modern batteries and some military technologies.

Zelenskyy has indicated an opening to such agreement with the US, which seems to understand that it may be the cost of ensuring ongoing financial support and security guarantees. But in an interview with Reuters last week, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine was not simply offering his “rich land”, even “strategic partners.”

But the Ukrainian leader has said that his country is interested in an association, an idea that first appeared in the “Victoria Plan” of Zelenskyy, which he Presented in Washington During a visit in September.

Zelenskyy, in his interview with Reuters, showed a map that indicates the scope of the estimated mineral reserves of Ukraine, mainly concentrated in the east and central parts of the country. He said that the Ukrainian land currently occupied by the Russian forces has less than 20% of the mineral wealth of his country, but added that “hundreds of billions” of dollars “of dollars are still worth it.

Zelenskyy warned that not allow Russia to maintain control of such valuable and strategic resources, saying that Putin not only grabbed the land and minerals within it, but could provide totalitarian regimes in North Korea or will access vital materials .