Russian Satellite News Agency, Washington, April 1. US President Trump said that Kiev’s pursuit of NATO membership was the cause of the Ukrainian conflict and was not discussed in the context of rare earth trade.
“I think Zelensky tried to change the terms of the rare earth metals deal,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “I heard from reporters that he was willing to sign a deal but on the condition that he join NATO or something like that, but that was never discussed.”
Trump said Ukraine’s pursuit of NATO membership was the cause of the conflict.
The US President said: “This may be the reason why the war started.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed an initiative for a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian conflict in June 2024: Moscow will immediately cease fire and declare its readiness to negotiate after the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the territory of the Russian New Region. In addition, the Russian leader noted that Kiev should announce its abandonment of its intention to join NATO, implement demilitarization and denazification, and accept neutrality, non-alignment and non-nuclear status. In addition, Putin mentioned the lifting of sanctions against Russia.
