Ukraine nears a deal to give US a share of its minerals wealth

Vladimir Putinrussian President

In order to resolve complex and rather acute issues, such as related to Ukraine, both Russia and the United States must take the first step,

Putin said

What does it consist of? This first step should be devoted to increasing the level of trust between the two states,

he added

Emmanuel Macronpresident

You cannot be weak in the face of President Putin."

French President Emmanuel Macron was in Washington for a meeting with Trump where he said he would tell him

I would like peace. But of course, I am hoping for victory for Russia,

Yevgenia, a 27-year-old civil servant, told AFP

There's been shelling everywhere here,

the 47-year-old told AFP

The Government of the United States of America intends to provide a long-term financial commitment to the development of a stable and economically prosperous Ukraine,

states a draft of the agreement obtained by Axios

We have sovereign countries in Europe who take decisions on their own militaries,

she explained

It won't be a deal that will show Trump as a great winner and great dealmaker. He will be with this huge mess and I hope he will realise it before entering into anything like that."

She continued

To increase defence spending to 3% or 4% of GDP, it kind of sounds very radical and politically difficult for many European countries today,

she said

It looks like blackmail. Ukraine has to keep in mind that once you give in to blackmail, it never ends,

they said

Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelensky, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and “TRUMP,” will never be able to settle, ... Zelensky better move fast or he is not going to have a country left

Trump wrote last week, before warning

Europe can produce large supplies of ammunition, or purchase them from other countries, including the US, a scenario the Trump administration has discussed. They could also buy ammunition, for example, for HIMARS and Patriot systems in the same way or set up production in the EU,

Mikhailov continued

The situation with artillery supplies was critical, but the front didn’t collapse and the Russians scored no strategic successes,

Mikhailov said

Volodymyr Zelenskyypresident

The old days of America supporting Europe are over

Zelensky said in a message to his European counterparts as much as to his own people

We all feel betrayed since Trump started to talk about his ‘peace plans.’ I would not be surprised if he’s Russia’s best agent. We have to hold on…that’s all.”

An intelligence officer told CNN

I am very exhausted, so is everyone here. Nothing changes for us here because of political statements.”

A Ukrainian company commander deployed within Russia’s Kursk region also told CNN

While people understand Putin's influence is very high, the war has been going on for three years when they were promised it will take three weeks … When a new player enters here, Donald Trump, they probably expect it will make a difference."

Aleksei Miniailo, a Russian opposition politician and the founder of Chronicles, said

Donald Trumppresident

I think the Russians want to see the war end, I really do. I think they have the cards a little bit because they've taken a lot of territory."

U.S. President Donald Trump said on February 20

After everything that they have suffered, after everything that they have fought for, there could be no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine, and the people of Ukraine must have a long-term secure future.”

Starmer told the Scottish Labour Party conference in Glasgow on Sunday

There is a clear parallel between the procession of leaders heading to Trump’s court in Washington to try to cajole him and the period at the end of 2021, beginning of 2022 when the same process was happening to try to convince Putin to not invade Ukraine,

Giles said