Washington sees new chapter in Trump-Zelenskyy relations after talks
Photo: US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
The meeting in Ankara marked a new chapter in relations between Kyiv and Washington, while the success of Ukrainian drones inside Russia has created new opportunities for diplomacy, states US State Department spokesperson Ian Bateson in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
Commenting on the Ankara summit declaration, Ian Bateson noted that the document provides for €70 billion in aid to Ukraine this year and at least the same amount next year.
At the same time, he clarified that the specific US contribution to the package has not yet been determined.
"Many people feared there would be no news related to Ukraine at all, or no positive news. And that was included in the declaration itself. As for America's specific share, we'll see — it's not clear yet, but President Trump said today marked a new beginning," Bateson said.
According to him, relations between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy are now "completely different." The State Department spokesperson added that the two leaders can openly discuss important issues.
"We know that when President Trump likes something, he'll say so immediately. And when he doesn't like something, he'll say that very directly as well," he explained.
During the meeting, Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also discussed Ukraine's successes, including Ukrainian drone strikes inside Russia.
According to Bateson, Rubio saw these achievements as creating new opportunities for diplomacy.
Main Trump statements on Ukraine at the Ankara summit
During the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said work on a peace agreement to end Russia's war against Ukraine is ongoing, although he described the process as difficult. The US president also compared the war to "two people fighting in a park."
In addition, Trump said he intends to visit Kyiv, but suggested such a trip is unlikely before the war ends.
He also stated that the US is prepared to allow Ukraine to produce Patriot air defense systems. According to Trump, the process is technically complex, but Ukraine will be able to master it quickly.
Trump also said that Ukraine's long-range strikes inside Russia could help bring the war closer to an end. He described the attacks as an escalation but argued that this kind of escalation could ultimately help push the war toward a conclusion.
