Washington, Feb 25: President Donald Trump expressed hope that Russia’s war in Ukraine is nearing an endgame as he met Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron on the third anniversary of the invasion. But France’s leader cautioned that it’s crucial that any potential agreement with Moscow does not amount to surrender for Ukraine.
Their talks come at a moment of deep uncertainty about the future of transatlantic relations, with Trump transforming American foreign policy and effectively tuning out European leadership as he looks to quickly end the war in Ukraine.
While Macron and Trump made nice at the White House, their countries were at loggerheads at the United Nations over resolutions describing Russia as the aggressor in the war.
Trump, in broad comments on the state of the conflict, said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin would accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine.
“Yeah, he will accept it,” Trump said. “I have asked him that question. Look, if we do this deal, he’s not looking for more war.” And Trump said he hoped that the war could end within weeks and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would soon come to the US to sign a deal giving America access to Ukraine’s critical minerals that are used in key technology.
Trump is pressing the economic deal to help repay some of the $180 billion in American aid for Kyiv since the start of the war – tens of billions of which is being spent in the US to replenish older weapons sent to Ukraine.
“It looks like we’re getting very close,” Trump told reporters of the minerals deal before his meeting with Macron. He said Zelenskyy could potentially visit Washington this week or next to sign it. (AP)
