Trump on minerals deal with Ukraine: We will get our money back
US President Donald Trump said he was trying to "get back" the money spent by the United States to support Ukraine.
He said this in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, 22 February, Voice of America reports, Censor.NET informs.
"Europe gave $100 billion, the US gave $350 billion, because we had a stupid and incompetent president and administration. But what's worse, Europe gave it in the form of a loan, and they are getting their money back. We gave it to them in the form of nothing, so I want them to give us something for all the money we're investing," the White House chief said.
Trump said, "we're asking for rare earths and oil, whatever we can get so we don't make a fool of ourselves".
The US President said that Russia's war against Ukraine must end.
"I will try to settle the war and try to put an end to these deaths," he said.
The head of the White House reminded that he was negotiating with the president of Ukraine and the dictator of Russia. During his speech, Trump said that Russians and Ukrainians were dying, without mentioning that it was Russia that started the war against Ukraine.
Trump also said that the US is close to signing an agreement with Ukraine on rare earth metals.
"We don't get our money back. We are not getting anything. So we will get our money back because it's not fair. It's just not fair... And we better be close to a deal," the American leader said.
Fossil fuel agreement with the US
As a reminder, Trump has said he wants to strike a $500bn deal with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on access to rare earth resources and natural gas in Ukraine in exchange for security guarantees in any potential peace settlement.
President Zelenskyy said that the agreement with the US on minerals would be signed at the ministerial level when ready and subject to guarantees. Currently, this document is not ready to protect Ukraine's interest.
Later, Trump said that Ukraine had broken the deal on rare earth metals. The agreement was needed so that the US could recover the money spent on supporting Ukraine.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has handed over to Ukraine an "improved" draft minerals agreement that "complies with Ukrainian law".
