Pro-Ukraine protesters take to the street during Trump’s State of the Union speech to Congress
The protesters displayed their dismay at Trump’s statements on Ukraine and the decision to pause US military aid. During his speech, Trump read a letter from Ukraine’s President Vlodymyr Zelenskyy, and said that “Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer”.
After last week’s disastrous meeting at the White House, Trump said Zelenskyy had told him that Ukraine is ready to negotiate a peace deal with Russia as soon as possible and would accept a critical minerals agreement with the US to facilitate that.
Although Trump said he “appreciated” getting the letter, he did not say if it would affect his policy toward Ukraine, which on Monday was dominated by his decision to pause military aid to the country.
Trump’s remarks came after Vice President JD Vance, who was a major player in the breakdown between the president and Zelenskyy on Friday, struck a new nerve with allies by offering skeptical comments about a potential international security force for post-war Ukraine proposed by Britain and France.
Leaders in Europe say their support remains steadfast. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that “Europe is ready to massively boost its defence spending, both to respond to the short-term urgency to act and to support Ukraine, but also to address the long-term need to take on more responsibility for our own European security.”
Von der Leyen announced a defence fund that would amount to €800 billion. She said European Union leaders will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the details.
Earlier Tuesday, Vance had claimed the minerals deal would be a more practical deterrent against Russian President Vladimir Putin than a peacekeeping force for post-war Ukraine that includes “some random country.”
The Trump administration has been making the case that tightening US-Ukraine economic ties through an agreement that gives the US access to valuable mineral deposits in Ukraine will give Russia pause about taking malign action against Ukraine in the future.
