The situation at a glance: Trump wants to get closer to Frieden in Ukraine with Selenskyj

In search of a peace solution for Ukraine, US President Donald Trump wants to take an important step today at his meeting with the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj. “The progress towards peace continues when President Selenskyj visits the White House,” said Trump in Washington. Both want to sign a long-term controversial raw material agreement that ensures the USA access to rare earths and other mineral resources stored in Ukraine.

Trump also sees an economic commitment from the United States in Ukraine as a security for Ukraine against any future aggression from outside. “I don’t think anyone is playing around when we have a lot of workers there and have to do with rare earths that we need for our country,” he said in the presence of Great Britain Prime Minister Keir.

The framework agreement provides for the creation of a reconstruction for Ukraine. Ukraine is intended to deposit 50 percent of all income from future raw material projects into the fund. Security guarantees for Ukraine are only formulated as a goal that the United States wants to support. Concrete financial details and obligations should be regulated in a contract that is still to be worked out.

Even if Trump had only ruled out a NATO accession of Ukraine on Wednesday, the country attacked by Russia wants to keep the United States as an ally and potential weapon supplier. Ukraine has been defending itself against the War of Russia for a good three years.

Strander: Peace only with protection

The British Prime Minister Starmer represented a view of the necessary security guarantees for Ukraine than Trump. “The United Kingdom is ready to use troops on the ground and planes in the air to support an agreement in cooperation with our allies, because this is the only way to pass peace.” A promise of Trump to secure a peace agreement for Ukraine with its own military means.

Before the meeting with Selenskyj, Trump also moderated his tone towards the Ukrainian president. “We will get along very well,” said Trump. There is a lot of mutual respect. Previously, Trump had insulted the Ukrainian as a dictator. This happened after Selenskyj snubbed the USA and initially did not agree to the conditions of a raw material agreement-US Finance Minister Scott Bessent had initially had to travel from Ukraine without any reason.

Now Trump pretended on Thursday that he could not remember his dictator statement. “Did I say that? I can’t believe that I said that. The next question,” Trump replied to a corresponding demand whether he still believes that Selenskyj was a “dictator”.

First ceasefire, then peace

Trump sees a peace solution for Ukraine as necessary to gradually proceed. According to the raw material agreement, it must first be a stable ceasefire, then a permanent peace. The question of peacekeeping could only be discussed later. “I don’t want to talk about peacekeeping as long as we have no agreement,” said the Republican. On Monday he still said Putin would accept European peace troops in Ukraine – Moscow contradicted.

He trusts the word of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, said the US President. “I think he will hold his word. (…) I spoke to him, I have known him for a long time.” He assumes that a deal will hold. When asked by journalists whether it was likely that Putin would attack Ukraine again, Trump said: “No, I don’t think so.”

Trump renewed his skepticism for Ukraine’s NATO accession. “It won’t happen.” When it comes to returning parts of the Ukrainian area conquered by Russia, Trump was somewhat more optimistic. “We will surely try to get back as much as we can.”

Meanwhile, NATO general secretary Mark Rutte announced that he had a very good conversation with Trump. The NATO allies quickly invested more in defense. “With regard to Ukraine, the allies prepare a further billion in help and contributions to security guarantees,” Rutte wrote on the X platform a good two weeks ago that Rutte had also provided more than $ 700 billion for the defense since 2014.