Former US President Donald Trump has left open the possibility that Ukraine could become part of Russia in the future and suggested that US aid to Kyiv should be exchanged for its natural resources, including rare minerals.
“They may make a deal, they may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News on Monday. “But we are going to have all this money in there, and I say I want it back.”
Trump also revealed that his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, would soon visit Kyiv. Additionally, he noted that he would “probably” speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week.
“He wants to make a deal … I think they both (Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin) want to make a deal. It’s got to be done,” Trump stated.
Talks on Ending the Russia-Ukraine War
Trump reiterated his longstanding claim that the Russia-Ukraine war would never have started had he been in office.
When asked whether he was attempting to set up a meeting with Putin, he remained vague: “Well, I can’t tell you what I’m talking about, but we are talking as a group. Also, I think he’d like to make a deal, but it takes two to tango.”
Pressed further on whether he had spoken directly to Putin, Trump declined to give a direct answer.
“I don’t want to talk about it. No, I don’t want to talk about it. It’s not going to help you to know, but we would like to get a deal done—if possible—only because, in my case, (to) save lives,” he said.
