Donald Trump has said Ukraine “may be Russian someday” as senior figures in his administration prepare to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky this week.
Speaking as talk of a peace deal ramps up, the US president also said Ukraine had agreed to give the US $500 billion worth of rare earth minerals.
“They may make a deal, they may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday,” he told Fox News.
“I told them that I want the equivalent of like $500 billion worth of rare earth (minerals), and they’ve essentially agreed to do that, so at least we don’t feel stupid,” he added.
Ukraine may be sitting on $12trn worth of untapped rare earths and critical minerals, according to some estimates, though it would likely be several years before the US would benefit from such a deal.
“We’re going to have all this money in [Ukraine] and I say, I want it back,” the president said, suggesting that he is looking for compensation from Kyiv for the aid given to Ukraine by the US.
After Mr Trump’s remarks, the Kremlin said a “significant part” of Ukraine already is Russian.
“The fact that a significant part of Ukraine wants to become Russia, and has already, is a fact,” said Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, referring to Moscow’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions in 2022.
Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts is not recognised by the international community, and Russian forces do not fully control any of the four regions.
Mr Trump also confirmed on Monday that General Keith Kellogg, his special envoy for Russia-Ukraine, will visit Kyiv as he ramps up plans to end the war as it approaches its third anniversary.
Gen Kellogg had been due to present the US president’s plan to end the war at the Munich Security Conference this weekend but has pushed plans back in order to give Europe a seat at the negotiating table.
However, Gen Kellogg is still expected to discuss elements of the plan in Munich, including Mr Trump’s proposal to exchange Ukraine’s rare earths for continued military aid.
Another central element of his plan envisages freezing the conflict along current lines, meaning Russia would retain control of around 20 per cent of Ukraine, mainly in the southeastern region of Donetsk.