US President Donald Trump sparked controversy by suggesting that Ukraine might become part of Russia in the future. This statement came ahead of a meeting between Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to CNN, in an interview with Fox News aired on Monday, February 10, 2025, Trump, while discussing his administration’s efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, stated that Ukraine might negotiate a deal or eventually become part of Russia.
Before the meeting between Ukrainian President Zelensky and Vice President Vance, the 78-year-old Trump told Fox News, “They (Ukraine) may make a deal, they may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday.”
Later, on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, during a news briefing in Moscow, when reporters asked Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov about Trump’s remarks, he stated, “It is a fact that a significant part of Ukraine wants to become Russia, and the fact that it has already become Russia is undeniable. Four new Russian regions have joined.”
He further added, “The people who, despite many dangers, stood in queues and voted in the referendum to join the Russian Federation, largely support President Trump’s words… Any phenomenon has a 50% probability—either yes or no.”
Additionally, Trump emphasized that the US expects to gain benefits from its aid to Ukraine, particularly in the form of Kyiv’s rare minerals, revealing that “they’ve essentially agreed to” trade an equivalent of $500 billion worth of rare earth minerals.
