CNN
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US President Donald Trump suggests that Ukraine “may be Russian one day,” and with support from the West, he questioned the future independence of the sovereign country that he defended against Moscow’s full-scale invasion for nearly three years. I threw it.
Trump discusses the administration to end the war in an interview with Fox News aired on Monday ahead of this week’s meeting between Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Voldimir Zelensky. did.
“They (Ukraine) may trade. They may not trade. They may one day be Russian, or they may not be Russian,” Trump said. He also emphasized that he would like to see a return on investment with US aid to Ukraine, bringing back the idea of Kiev’s trade with rare earth minerals to the forefront.
The US President’s comments could please the Kremlin, which has illegally annexed four Ukraine regions since the launch of a full-scale invasion, and has sought full Ukraine submission.
“An important part of Ukraine wants to become Russia, and the fact that it has already become Russia is (undeniable),” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday. Ta.
When Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, it believed it would capture the capital Kiev and others in a few weeks. The war is set to enter four years from this month, and Moscow promises to be the fifth of Ukrainian territory. In 2023, it held a false referendum in four occupying territories, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Zapolizia and Herson, in an attempt to lend legitimacy to its annexation.
Peskov said people “was at a great deal of risk and voted side-by-side” in a referendum to join Russia. “This mainly corresponds to President Trump’s words,” he added. CNN reported at the time in a stage management referendum. This was reportedly dismissed by international observers as a propaganda exercise.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said his administration has made “great progress” in laying grounds for potential peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Zelensky said Monday that “some serious people” from the Trump administration will visit Ukraine this week before a Munich security conference in Germany.
Trump reiterated his interest in reaping the benefits of US support for Kiev. “They have incredibly valuable land in terms of rare earth, in terms of oil and gas, and in terms of other things. They want to secure our money,” he said.
“I told them I wanted something equivalent, like $500 billion rare earth. They essentially agreed to do that, so at least we don’t think it’s stupid. If not we are stupid. I told them, we have to get something. We cannot continue to pay this money,” he added.
The Biden administration said support for Kiev is defending “the right for people to decide their future” and maintaining “the principle that the country cannot forcefully change the boundaries of its neighbors.” . An approach to geopolitics.
Trump’s comments come in the bounty of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who tried to justify Ukrainian invasion by falsely claiming that Russians and Ukrainians were “one” and that Ukraine is not a sovereign country. It’s highly likely.
European leaders preparing to meet senior members of the Trump administration in Munich this week, Polish President Andrze Duda said on Tuesday that Russia was unable to “draw profits” from the war in Ukraine. He emphasized that he should not win.
Speaking to CNN on the sidelines of the World Government Summit in Dubai, Duda said, “Ukraine should reclaim all the lands occupied by Russia today,” but the current priority is “war is certain.” He admitted that it was to ensure that this was a halt, not in accordance with the “Russian situation.”