U.S. President Donald Trump said he is "for both Ukraine and Russia" during a press conference with President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House on Feb. 28.
Talking about his role in negotiations to end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Trump said he was "in the middle."
"I'm for both Ukraine and Russia... I want to get it solved," he added.
Zelensky flew to Washington on Feb. 28 where the two leaders are expected to sign a framework deal on Ukraine's natural resources.
Zelensky's visit was preceded by weeks of tense negotiations as Ukraine rejected the initial two draft proposals, presenting them as one-sided obligations for Ukraine without any security commitments on Washington's side.
The long-debated agreement establishes a fund to which Ukraine will contribute 50% of proceeds from the future monetization of state-owned mineral resources, including oil, gas, and logistics infrastructure.
Zelensky's reluctance to pen the initial draft, presented to him by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Kyiv on Feb. 12, prompted Trump to lash out against the Ukrainian president in public.
Last week, Trump denounced Ukraine's head of state as a "dictator," accusing him of refusing to hold elections while echoing the Kremlin's false narratives about Zelensky's illegitimacy.
Alex Cadier
