According to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the U.S. believes Russia is ready to finalize an agreement to end the conflict.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that U.S. President Donald Trump is optimistic that a peace agreement for Ukraine could be reached soon.
Leavitt told reporters on Saturday that the Trump administration is dedicated to quickly resolving the conflict, which is nearing its fourth year. She said that the president and his team are focused on ongoing negotiations with both sides to end the war, and that Trump is confident a deal can be reached this week, though she didn’t provide specifics.
Leavitt said Trump “believes very strongly that Russia is willing to make a deal, and he’s fighting to make a deal.” She also mentioned that National Security Adviser Mike Waltz will be working constantly to secure a deal and end the conflict in Ukraine.
When asked about a possible summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere, Leavitt declined to elaborate, stating she had nothing to announce at the moment.
Leavitt also mentioned that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is still negotiating a potential agreement granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s important mineral resources. She stated this would reimburse American taxpayers and create a beneficial economic partnership between the U.S. and Ukraine as they rebuild the country after the war.
Reportedly, the Trump administration wants a 50% stake in Ukraine’s rare earth mineral deposits, estimated to be worth around $500 billion, in exchange for continued U.S. military and economic aid. However, Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky has rejected the initial proposal, citing concerns about the lack of firm security guarantees from the U.S.
Leavitt’s statements follow high-level discussions between U.S. and Russian diplomats in Saudi Arabia, aimed at rebuilding relations and setting the stage for a Trump-Putin summit and a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. Notably, Ukrainian and EU representatives were not included in these negotiations.
Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday, Trump said he felt “we are pretty close” to a deal regarding Ukraine.
Russia has dismissed the idea of freezing the conflict, insisting on a permanent resolution. Moscow has stated that this would require Ukraine to commit to neutrality, demilitarization, denazification, and recognize the existing territorial situation.
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