United States President Donald Trump has ruled out the possibility of the U.S. offering security guarantees or NATO membership to Ukraine.
Trump made this statement on Wednesday while addressing reporters at a cabinet meeting ahead of his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to finalise an agreement on handing over natural resources.
Trump confirmed that Zelensky would visit on Friday to sign the agreement following intense U.S. pressure to transfer rare earth materials used in aerospace and other technologies.
When asked what concessions would be necessary to end the war, Trump unequivocally ruled out Ukraine’s membership in NATO, stating: “NATO you can forget about. I think that’s probably the reason the whole thing started.”
The U.S. President insisted that his diplomatic approach was fostering a new spirit of compromise from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, according to Trump, had previously “wanted the whole thing” in Ukraine.