US President Donald Trump floated the idea that Ukraine “may be Russian someday” during an interview with Fox News on Monday. The remarks come ahead of a high-profile meeting between Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, set to take place this week on the sidelines of the Munich security conference.
Discussing the nearly three-year-long conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Trump remarked, “They may make a deal, they may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday.”
Trump also emphasised a transactional approach to US aid to Ukraine, suggesting that future support should be tied to economic returns, specifically through Ukraine’s natural resources. “We are going to have all this money in there, and I say I want it back. And I told them that I want the equivalent, like $500 billion worth of rare earth,” Trump said. “And they have essentially agreed to do that, so at least we don’t feel stupid.”
In an effort to expedite a resolution to the conflict, Trump announced that he will soon dispatch his special envoy, Keith Kellogg, to Ukraine. Kellogg is tasked with drafting a proposal to halt the fighting, with his visit scheduled for February 20, just days before the three-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion on February 24.
While Trump pushes for a swift end to the war, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy continues to demand strong security guarantees from Washington as part of any peace agreement with Russia. Kyiv remains concerned that any deal lacking concrete military commitments, such as Nato membership or the deployment of peacekeeping forces, could leave Ukraine vulnerable to future aggression from Moscow.
Zelenskyy’s spokesperson, Sergiy Nikiforov, confirmed the upcoming meeting with Vice President Vance, while a source from the president’s office indicated that Kellogg’s itinerary within Ukraine has yet to be disclosed.
In a recent video address, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s need for “real peace and effective security guarantees.” He emphasised the broader significance of Ukraine’s security, saying, “Security of people, security of our state, security of economic relations and, of course, our resource sustainability: not only for Ukraine, but for the entire free world. All of this is being decided now.”