Trump Says Ukraine Can Forget About NATO Membership
President Trump has commented that Ukraine ought to give up its aspirations to join NATO, suggesting it could be a potential “reason” for the current conflict. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Moscow has previously stated that the US president is the only Western leader to “publicly and loudly” acknowledge the root cause of the conflict.
President Donald Trump has suggested that Ukraine should forsake its ambitions to join NATO, recognizing this as a potential “reason” for the ongoing conflict with Russia. Moscow has consistently criticized the eastward expansion of the US-led bloc, perceiving it as a threat to its national security.
Trump has laid the blame for the Ukraine conflict on his predecessor Joe Biden's backing of Kiev's NATO aspirations, asserting that hostilities would not have erupted during his presidency. This viewpoint was reiterated after a long phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month and again during a White House press briefing on Wednesday.
“NATO, we can forget about that. It was probably the reason this whole thing started,” Trump remarked when asked about the “concessions” expected in a potential peace deal between Moscow and Kiev. He mentioned that Russia “will have to” make some concessions as well but did not elaborate on what these might entail.
Earlier this month, Trump supported his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, who indicated that Kiev must accept the reality of returning to pre-2014 borders being impractical and that NATO membership is off the table.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov praised Trump’s remarks regarding NATO, viewing them as an indication that he grasps Moscow's stance and its quest for enduring peace.
“He was the first and so far, I think, the only Western leader who has admitted, publicly and loudly, that one of the root causes of the Ukraine situation was the previous administration’s ‘pushy’ policy of dragging Ukraine into NATO,” Lavrov commented last week.
Moscow has continuously contended that NATO's encroachment toward its borders provoked the conflict and has dismissed any notion of temporary ceasefires, insisting instead on a permanent resolution. Russia believes peace could be achieved if Ukraine commits to neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification while acknowledging current territorial realities.
Meanwhile, Trump stated on Wednesday that the US aims to “get back” funds it has allocated for military and financial assistance to Kiev through an upcoming mineral deal. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is set to visit Washington on Friday to sign the agreement.
While Trump did not reveal the specific terms of the deal, media reports suggest that Washington will not provide security guarantees to Kiev within the framework of the agreement, but will “support its efforts” to secure such guarantees in the future.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
President Donald Trump has suggested that Ukraine should forsake its ambitions to join NATO, recognizing this as a potential “reason” for the ongoing conflict with Russia. Moscow has consistently criticized the eastward expansion of the US-led bloc, perceiving it as a threat to its national security.
Trump has laid the blame for the Ukraine conflict on his predecessor Joe Biden's backing of Kiev's NATO aspirations, asserting that hostilities would not have erupted during his presidency. This viewpoint was reiterated after a long phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month and again during a White House press briefing on Wednesday.
“NATO, we can forget about that. It was probably the reason this whole thing started,” Trump remarked when asked about the “concessions” expected in a potential peace deal between Moscow and Kiev. He mentioned that Russia “will have to” make some concessions as well but did not elaborate on what these might entail.
Earlier this month, Trump supported his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, who indicated that Kiev must accept the reality of returning to pre-2014 borders being impractical and that NATO membership is off the table.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov praised Trump’s remarks regarding NATO, viewing them as an indication that he grasps Moscow's stance and its quest for enduring peace.
“He was the first and so far, I think, the only Western leader who has admitted, publicly and loudly, that one of the root causes of the Ukraine situation was the previous administration’s ‘pushy’ policy of dragging Ukraine into NATO,” Lavrov commented last week.
Moscow has continuously contended that NATO's encroachment toward its borders provoked the conflict and has dismissed any notion of temporary ceasefires, insisting instead on a permanent resolution. Russia believes peace could be achieved if Ukraine commits to neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification while acknowledging current territorial realities.
Meanwhile, Trump stated on Wednesday that the US aims to “get back” funds it has allocated for military and financial assistance to Kiev through an upcoming mineral deal. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is set to visit Washington on Friday to sign the agreement.
While Trump did not reveal the specific terms of the deal, media reports suggest that Washington will not provide security guarantees to Kiev within the framework of the agreement, but will “support its efforts” to secure such guarantees in the future.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
