A few weeks ago, the chances of the Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy administrations signing such a deal looked slim. When the Ukrainian president visited Washington in February to discuss and possibly sign the agreement, long-standing personal tensions with Trump exploded into the open in an extraordinary public argument also involving Vice President JD Vance.
Trump suggested Wednesday that the pair’s relationship had improved since then, characterizing the meeting as “beautiful” and expressing confidence that Zelenskyy “wants to make a deal” to end the war.”
Trump said Wednesday that the agreement would serve as an avenue for the United States to recoup funds it has provided to Ukraine throughout its war with Russia, a figure the State Department has placed at $66.5 billion in terms of military assistance.
Since beginning his second term just more than 100 days ago, Trump has repeatedly insisted that the United States be repaid for at least part of the aid that Washington has sent to Ukraine to help it fight Russia’s three-year-long invasion.
Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz said the deal “is good for the American taxpayer that is recouping the billions of dollars that we’ve put into supporting Ukraine. It’s good for Ukraine and helping it grow and helping it grow the pie in terms of its development and reconstruction, and it’s good for its security.”
It is unclear how much of the money will go toward repaying the United States. Svyrydenko said in her post that the agreement “includes no provisions regarding any Ukrainian debt obligations to the United States.”
Despite accusations of treating Moscow more leniently than Kyiv in protracted peace talks with both parties, Trump’s ire has recently been directed at Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he criticized for carrying out widespread strikes on Kyiv despite U.S. officials’ ongoing ceasefire efforts.
While Putin on Monday announced a temporary ceasefire due to begin next week, there are few signs that he is planning a more long-term cessation in military activity.
Russian strikes on the Ukrainian port city of Odessa overnight Wednesday killed two people and injured 15 more, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said in a post Thursday on Telegram.
Even so, the minerals deal is a step in the right direction as regards the chances of a more sustainable peace, Waltz said Thursday. “Both sides have to want peace. Both sides…
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