US President Donald Trump stated that he is backing Ukraine and added Washington would continue its support, provided that assistance was “secured,” otherwise Russian leader Vladimir Putin would state victory.
This was reported by the Economist on February 12, the same day Trump had a telephone call with Putin.
According to the news agency, Trump later seemed to adjust his position: “I’m backing Ukraine,” he said.
Trump suggested that Ukraine could reclaim some territory and affirmed that the US would continue its support, provided that assistance was “secured”—potentially alluding to an agreement on rare earth minerals.
“If we didn’t do that, then Putin would say he won,” Trump added.
On the same day, Trump announced that he expects to meet Putin, with their first face-to-face meeting likely to take place in Saudi Arabia.
On February 13, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that Trump’s discussions with Russian Putin about initiating negotiations to end the war in Ukraine are “certainly not a betrayal” of Kyiv.
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