Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a lengthy thread on X Saturday, stating he would sign the minerals deal, but said the Ukrainian people “need to know that America is on our side.”
www.forbes.com
I haven't chimed in on this... but need to. As someone that worked in Naval Intelligence in this very arena that meeting did not make me feel safer or want to cheer on how "tough" either of them was acting.
I was hopeful that something could be done to get it signed though. Having interests there gives the US incentive to help, add security, and to actually maintain a presence depending on how the "peace" looks afterward. Telling them they are "on their own" like that was not quite what I was expecting. Zelenskyy and Trump in a penis measuring contest... <smh>...
That being said, it looks like we may have a path back to the deal.
Zelensky was enjoying the massive wealth being dumped into his country by Europe and the US. Trump cut him off. Like a petulant teenager, Zelensky threw a brief tantrum before realizing he wasn't going to get his way and stomping off mad was just going to get his country stomped on by Russia.
Like it or not, the Russians have the capacity to grind Ukraine down to nothing without Ukraine receiving endless, massive military aid. That war could last decades with off and on low intensity fighting. That does no one, both the combatants, and those supporting them, any good.
In that respect, Trump was correct to just turn off the spigot. No, this solution isn't likely to be permanent nor is it likely to be the best outcome, but it's a damn sight better than letting this stalemate of a war carry on for years. If one side could defeat the other, I'd say Trump's solution is wrong, but that's not the case here.
With this outcome and an end to the current conflict there are several possibilities for Ukraine afterwards that aren't possible now. One is Ukraine rebuilds their economy giving them the funds to build an effective military, not a teetering stopgap one like they have now. That would put them in a position to fend off a future Russian invasion.
For the US in relation to Russia, this would be a chance to rebuild reasonably good relations. This would help the US immensely with respect to China. A friendly Russia that is aligned with the US and Europe is to the benefit of all three and a block to Chinese power. If Russia aligns with China, it hurts the world power balance, particularly with Europe being so weak currently. It also gives the US a chance to improve relations with India for the same purpose.
The Middle East is a sideshow to this.