US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the President of Ukraine Wołodymyr Zelanski “wants to withdraw” from the contract regarding key minerals, warning that the Ukrainian leader would have big problems if he does. The media reports that it was the United States that demanded that Kiev renegotiated the previously agreed document.
Donald Trump He talked to journalists on board Air Force One on the way from Florida to Washington. When asked about his statement for the NBC, in which he threatened Vladimir Putin imposing “secondary duties” if due to fault Russia The arms suspension would not be agreed, he said that “he still believes in the good will of the Russian president.”
Trump: I don't think Putin broke the word
– I don't think he breaks the word. We are talking about Putin (…). I have known him for a long time – said the US president, mentioning that their good relations were not violated by the “Russiagate” scandal from his first term. He admitted, however, that he was “disappointed” by the words of the Russian president, undermining the credibility and ID card of the president Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir PutinPAP/EPA/VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool
– He was to conclude a contract with him whether he likes him or not. So I wasn't happy with it. But I think that (Putin – ed.) Will be good and I would not like to impose secondary duties on Russia, but if they were imposed, it would not be very good for them – he said.
Trump also assessed that he did not think that the Russians try to deceive him and argue that “Putin wants to make a system.”
Trump: Zelanski wants to withdraw from the contract
Trump drew attention to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelanski, who in his opinion “wants to withdraw” from the US contract regarding the operation of Ukrainian mineral raw materials.
– If he does, he will have problems. Big problems. We have concluded an agreement on the metals of rare lands, and now he says: You know, I want to renegotiate a contract. I also want to be a member NATO. Well, he will never be a NATO member. He understands this, so if he wants to renegotiate a contract, he will have big problems – said Trump.
President of Ukraine Wołodymyr ZelnskiPresidential Press Service/PAP/EPA
Media: The US is changing the raw materials contract
According to reports of “Financial Times” and Bloomberg, this United States They demanded from Kiev renegotiations agreed earlier, but not signed text of the raw materials agreement. The new version proposed by the US is to give America extensive control over the operation, sales and profit from the operation of Ukrainian natural raw materials.
According to Bloomberg, Ukraine will demand significant changes in this document, because its current form can threaten Kiev's aspirations to integrate with the European Union. In addition, the content of the document is to suggest that the Ukrainians must return the value of financial and military assistance to the United States that Washington has given from the beginning of the Russian invasion of Russia.
Source of the main photo: Presidential Press Service/PAP/EPA