Trump affirms Putin will ‘follow through’ on Ukraine agreement

(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin would honor his part of any peace agreement on the Ukraine conflict, while also cautioning Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky about renegotiating a rare-earth minerals deal with the US. Trump reiterated his goal to end the war swiftly and said he was confident that Putin would follow through, though he warned that secondary tariffs on Russian oil might be imposed if Putin fails to fulfill his commitments.

Trump also expressed frustration with Zelensky’s apparent attempts to alter the terms of the rare-earth deal, which would give the US access to Ukraine’s mineral resources. While Trump views the deal as a way for Ukraine to repay past US aid, Zelensky has denied any obligation to do so. The disagreement centered around NATO membership, which Zelensky had suggested as a condition for the deal, a topic Trump claimed was never part of the original discussions.

Trump had previously threatened Zelensky with "big problems" if the rare-earths agreement fell through. He also voiced anger at Putin's suggestion to place Ukraine under a UN-led administration for elections, noting that Russia considers Zelensky an illegitimate leader due to the expiration of his presidential term in May 2024. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia and the US are discussing potential solutions to the conflict, including Ukraine’s neutrality and recognition of territorial realities.

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