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US President Donald Trump appeared to backtrack on his recent criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, days after calling him a ‘dictator.’ Speaking at the White House on Thursday, Trump downplayed his past remarks, responding to a reporter’s question with, “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that. Next question.”
The comments came ahead of Trump’s scheduled meeting with Zelenskyy on Friday, where the two leaders are set to finalize a deal allowing Ukraine to transfer revenue from its rare mineral resources to the U.S. in exchange for continued financial support. Trump emphasized the importance of securing access to these resources, saying, “We’re going to be actually in there, digging our hearts out. We need the rare earth.”
Trump-Zelenskyy Tensions Over Ukraine’s Mineral Rights
Tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy flared after Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of canceling the country’s 2024 elections and manipulating U.S. President Joe Biden. Trump’s comments on social media last week suggested frustration over Ukraine’s reluctance to grant the U.S. access to its mineral rights, a deal Trump has pushed as a way to “recoup” the billions in American aid sent since Russia’s 2022 invasion.
Despite their recent war of words, Trump downplayed any friction, stating, “I think the president and I actually have had a very good relationship. It maybe got a little bit testy because we wanted to have a little bit of what the European nations had. You know, they get their money back by giving money. We don’t get the money back.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was present at Trump’s remarks, interjected to clarify that Britain had not been reimbursed for all its aid to Ukraine, saying, “Quite a bit of ours was gifted, actually.”
No U.S. Security Guarantees for Ukraine
A key sticking point in the mineral deal has been Ukraine’s request for security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression. However, Trump signaled that the U.S. would not provide such assurances, suggesting Europe should take on that responsibility. “I think Europe will largely be responsible for that,” Trump said.
While Trump has been critical of Zelenskyy, he has refrained from using the same “dictator” label for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Instead, he reiterated his trust in Putin to honor any peace agreement, citing their shared experience as subjects of the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“I think he’ll keep his word,” Trump said of Putin. “I’ve spoken to him. I’ve known him for a long time now. We had to go through the Russian hoax together. That was not a good thing. It was not fair.”
As Congress debates continued funding for Ukraine—having already appropriated $175 billion, with $106 billion directly supporting Kyiv—the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting is expected to shape the next phase of U.S. assistance, potentially linking it to economic returns from Ukraine’s mineral wealth.
