US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his government would not make major security assurances to Ukraine, calling on European countries to be more responsible given their proximity.
“I’m not going to make security commitments beyond a lot. We’re going to have Europe do that,” Trump told his first Cabinet meeting, according to CNN. He promised, though, that the US would guarantee a stable result for Ukraine.
Trump also pointed to a new agreement with Ukraine centered on rare earth minerals, which he said were necessary for US requirements. He mentioned that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright would head the initiative. “The deal we’re making brings us great wealth. We get back the money we spent, and we hope to settle this up,” he said.
In the meantime, Trump had confirmed that the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, would visit the White House on Friday to sign an accord on Ukraine’s natural resources and reconstruction after the war. Trump was pleased with the agreement, which may give the US access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as well as pay into a reconstruction fund for Ukraine.
Speaking of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would have to make concessions in any future negotiations. “He’s going to have to,” Trump said, showing optimism that his administration’s election win would serve to end the war.
But he rejected Ukraine’s ambitions to join NATO, saying, “NATO you can forget about.” His comments indicate a policy change in the US, focusing on economic cooperation and European-led security and not on direct American guarantees to defend Ukraine.