President Donald Trump has sparked concerns about his efforts to end the war in Ukraine, as he shared in an interview on Monday that Ukraine “may be Russian someday.”
The remarks from Trump were shared during an interview with Fox News’s Bret Baier that was aired on Monday.
“″[Ukraine] may make a deal. They may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday. But we’re going to have all this money in there [Ukraine], and I say, I want it back,” Trump said when discussing a possible end to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Trump’s comments aired days before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Vice President JD Vance, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were scheduled to meet.
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump said that he is pushing to end the war and hopes the meeting will be a step in the right direction.
“I am sending Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to Ukraine to meet President Zelensky. This War MUST and WILL END SOON — Too much Death and Destruction. The U.S. has spent BILLIONS of Dollars Globally, with little to show. WHEN AMERICA IS STRONG, THE WORLD IS AT PEACE,” Trump posted Tuesday on Truth Social.
However, his comments about Ukraine potentially becoming Russian have raised red flags among many, including former Vice President Mike Pence.
“Mr. President, Ukraine will only ‘be Russian someday’ if the United States abandons them to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s brutal invasion. As you just said, ’When America is Strong the World is at Peace.’ Stand Firm,” Pence said in a post on X.
“If Ukraine falls, it will only be a matter of time until Russia invades a NATO ally, our troops will be required to defend,” he added.
In Russia, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed that Trump’s words on Monday “largely correspond” with the sentiment in parts of Ukraine.
“The fact that a significant part of Ukraine wants to become Russia, and has already, is a fact,” Peskov told reporters. “Any phenomenon can happen with a 50 percent probability — either yes or no.”
Peskov also noted that peace talks have not changed at this time, as both sides are continuing to engage each other.
As for the funding the U.S. continues to send Ukraine, Trump shared on Monday that Ukraine has “essentially agreed” to repay the debt through rare Earth minerals.
“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,” Trump told the broadcaster.
Zelensky confirmed last week that he had agreed to the minerals for aid deal.