From CNN / Yahoo!News:
"Hegseth rules out NATO membership for Ukraine and says Europe must be responsible for country’s security
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that the war between Ukraine and Russia “must end,” that Kyiv joining NATO is unrealistic and that the US will no longer prioritize European and Ukrainian security as the Trump administration shifts its attention to securing the US’ own borders and deterring war with China.
In remarks before a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Hegseth also said that European troops should be the primary force securing a post-war Ukraine—something US troops will not be involved in, he added.
“The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” Hegseth said. And he added that any security guarantees offered to Ukraine “must be backed by capable European and non-European troops.”
“To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be US troops deployed to Ukraine,” he said.Hegseth also said that a return to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders, before Russia invaded Crimea and eastern Ukraine, “is an unrealistic objective.”
Many NATO allies would actually agree with Hegseth that getting Crimea back from Russia is not realistic, and not even Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has insisted on that as a precursor to peace talks. One NATO official said it would have been more concerning if Hegseth had said that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2022 borders was unrealistic...
Hours after Hegseth spoke, President Donald Trump announced he’d spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday morning. Trump said the two agreed to work “very closely” together and begin negotiations “immediately” on ending the war in Ukraine.
“[W]e will begin by calling President Zelensky, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation,” Trump said.
Trump spoke with Zelensky shortly after getting off the phone with Putin.
Later on Wednesday afternoon, Trump said he agrees with Hegseth and does not “think it’s practical” to have Ukraine join NATO.
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In other news - the Telegraph / Yahoo!News:
Ukraine may be Russian one day, says Trump as he hints at rare earth minerals deal
Donald Trump has said Ukraine “may be Russian someday” as senior figures in his administration prepare to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky this week.
Speaking as talk of a peace deal ramps up, the US president also said Ukraine had agreed to give the US $500 billion worth of rare earth minerals.
“They may make a deal, they may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday,” he told Fox News.
“I told them that I want the equivalent of like $500 billion worth of rare earth (minerals), and they’ve essentially agreed to do that, so at least we don’t feel stupid,” he added...“We’re going to have all this money in [Ukraine] and I say, I want it back,” the president said, suggesting that he is looking for compensation from Kyiv for the aid given to Ukraine by the US.
After Mr Trump’s remarks, the Kremlin said a “significant part” of Ukraine already is Russian.
“The fact that a significant part of Ukraine wants to become Russia, and has already, is a fact,” said Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, referring to Moscow’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions in 2022..."***
Back in 1994, the USA bullied Ukraine to give up its nuclear arsenal to its Russian arch-enemies, falsely promising to defend it in return. Then the USA systematically betrayed Ukraine. Now, Trump wants Ukraine to pay for the cruel imitation of aid his predecessor gave to it, though it was carefully calculated to achieve nothing. Someone must explain to the demented psycho occupying the White House that if Ukraine becomes Russia, US companies will get no minerals.
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