Just days after calling him a 'dictator without elections,' President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday, where the two discussed US efforts to end the war in Ukraine, and discuss the minerals deal.
According to Trump, there's a 'very fair deal' on the table, which would allow the US to use Ukraine's rare earths for AI and military applications. Trump said that once the minerals deal is done, the war will be over, and "Russia won't want to return."
Zelensky, apparently not a historian, said that Putin 'began the war' and 'has to pay,' while Trump says he's "in the middle" regarding the war, adding "I'm for both Ukraine and Russia." Trump also added that he's committed to NATO.
More headlines from the meeting:
- TRUMP: WE ARE GOING TO TAKE RARE EARTHS AND USE IT FOR ALL WE DO, INCLUDING AI AND MILITARY WEAPONS
- TRUMP: WE WILL HAVE ARMS TO UKRAINE
- TRUMP: HOPEFULLY WE WON’T HAVE TO SEND MUCH
- TRUMP: YOU WON’T GO BACK TO FIGHTING
- TRUMP: WILL SIGN MINERALS DEAL TODAY
- ZELENSKIY: MINERALS DEAL IS NOT ENOUGH
- ZELENSKIY: DOCUMENT IS A GOOD START BUT NOT ENOUGH
The day before the meeting, Trump softened his tone on the 'dictator' comment, saying that he now has a "lot of respect" for the Ukrainian leader (who's canceled elections, banned the Orthodox Church, and outlawed non-USAID propaganda media).
Earlier, Zelensky said he met with a bipartisan US Senate delegation, which he described as "an important visit to the United States."
"We take pride in having strategic partners and friends like the United States. We are grateful for the unwavering bicameral and bipartisan support for Ukraine throughout all three years of Russia’s full-scale aggression," he said on X.
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