United States President, Donald Trump, said on Sunday that the United States had “just about” ended a suspension of intelligence sharing with Ukraine, expressing hope for positive outcomes from upcoming talks with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.
Asked if he would consider ending the suspension, Trump said, “We just about have. We just about have.”
The intelligence freeze, first disclosed by CIA Director John Ratcliffe last Wednesday, had intensified pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to cooperate with Washington in convening peace talks with Russia.
The suspension, which came in the wake of a halt to U.S. military aid to Kyiv, has raised concerns over its potential impact on Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against ongoing Russian missile strikes.
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High-level discussions between U.S. and Ukrainian delegations are scheduled to take place on Tuesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Officials said a key agenda item will be assessing Ukraine’s willingness to make material concessions to Russia in pursuit of ending the war. Also looming over the talks is the unresolved minerals deal between Washington and Kyiv.
Trump expressed optimism ahead of the negotiations. “We’re going to make a lot of progress, I believe, this week,” he said.
The minerals accord, which would grant the United States access to strategic mineral resources in Ukraine, was originally expected to be signed during Zelenskiy’s White House visit. However, a dispute between the two leaders derailed the agreement.
According to Reuters, Trump said on Sunday he still believes Ukraine will sign the minerals deal, which Kyiv wants to include a U.S. security guarantee. “They will sign the mineral deal but I want them to want peace… They haven’t shown it to the extent they should,” he said.
Trump also said his administration was reviewing various issues related to tariffs on Russia. He added that officials are not concerned about joint military exercises involving Russia, China and Iran.
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