Trump may approve arms for Ukraine after minerals deal - The Times
Donald Trump (Photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump may approve arms supplies to Ukraine after the signing of the minerals deal. Journalists assessed how realistic this is, according to The Times.
The media outlet notes that the "long-awaited agreement" on minerals, signed on Wednesday, April 30, between Ukraine and the USA, "given Kyiv a much-needed boost of confidence in Washington’s long-term support."
"It could also make it harder for President Trump to force Ukraine into a peace deal with Russia that Kyiv sees as damaging for its national interests," the journalists note.
Trump's position on supporting Ukraine
Sources believe that it is unlikely that Trump will completely stop military and economic assistance to Kyiv.
They say that Trump is "wary of taking the blame should Russia overwhelm Ukraine in the event he withdraws support."
"That would draw parallels with Biden’s chaotic and humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan, which Trump dubbed “the most embarrassing event in the history of our country."
Can Ukraine receive air defense systems
Moreover, recent statements by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding the minerals deal have instilled new confidence in Ukraine.
After the signing of the agreement, Ukrainian Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko stated that Washington may provide new air defense systems to protect Ukrainian cities from Russian missile attacks, but the Trump administration has not yet considered this issue.
However, the draft agreement provides that Kyiv will receive US security assistance in exchange for access to its natural resources.
"This may not correspond to the clear security guarantees that President Zelenskyy has been asking for from the very beginning, but in Kyiv they hope that Trump will approve new deliveries of American weapons to Ukraine, at least to protect energy assets, in the preservation of which America is now deeply interested," the authors state.
How realistic is military aid from the US for Ukraine and what does Trump's mood have to do with it
Journalists recall that Trump has not approved any military aid to Kyiv since the beginning of his new presidential term.
The article also emphasizes that the agreement was concluded against the backdrop of what appears to be Trump's reassessment of his attitude toward Kremlin head Vladimir Putin.
The authors summarize that, although all of this could soon change depending on Trump's mood, the agreement currently appears to indicate an improvement in US-Ukraine relations after months of upheaval.
Agreement between the USA and Ukraine
Ukraine and the USA agreed on economic cooperation, known as the minerals deal. The document was signed by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
On May 1, US President Donald Trump commented on the agreement for the first time, stating that the USA would receive more than it invested after its signing between the two countries.
For his part, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called the agreement signed with Ukraine on the creation of a joint Reconstruction Investment Fund a "historic economic partnership agreement" between the countries.
