Trump's new conditions challenge Ukraine amid aid uncertainty
NBC News reports that Donald Trump expects more than a mineral agreement to resume aid for Ukraine. Kyiv will likely have to agree to concessions that it has deemed unacceptable so far.
President Donald Trump has expressed his expectations for Ukraine beyond signing a mineral agreement with the USA. According to NBC News, Trump wants Ukraine to change its approach to peace talks, including considering territorial concessions to Russia.
Trump expects that Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, will take steps towards holding elections and consider resigning from office. Elections in Ukraine are currently suspended due to the state of war that has been in place since the Russian invasion in 2022.
Harsh conditions from the USA. This will be painful for Ukraine
White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes emphasized that Ukraine has made positive steps, and upcoming meetings in Saudi Arabia could bring further progress towards ending the war.
Republicans in Congress are pressing the White House to resume aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. Hopefully, this process will be restored as early as next week, especially after Zelensky declares readiness for negotiations.
Despite the halt in American aid, Ukraine still receives some defensive support that helps fend off attacks. However, the lack of detailed intelligence hinders Ukraine's offensive actions.
European allies are trying to fill the gap caused by the suspension of American supplies. On Saturday, Denmark announced that eight Nordic and Baltic countries had decided to intensify Ukraine's rearmament.
