Trump says Ukraine may become part of Russia, seeks US aid repayment

US President Donald Trump has left open the possibility that Ukraine "may be Russian someday," and called for trading US aid for Kiev's natural resources, such as rare minerals.

"They may make a deal, they may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday," Trump said in an interview with Fox News on Monday.

"But we are going to have all this money in there and I say I want it back."

The US president also said his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, will visit Kiev soon.

Trump noted that he will "probably" talk to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week.

“He wants to make a deal … I think they both (Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin) want to make a deal. It’s got to be done," he said.

Peace deal: It takes two to tango

Trump reiterated that the Russia-Ukraine war would have never started if he were president.

Asked whether he is trying to set up a meeting with Putin, he said: "Well, I can't tell you what I'm talking about, but we are talking as a group. Also, I think he'd like to make a deal, but it takes two to tango.”

Trump was asked whether he could provide more clarity on whether he has spoken to Putin.

"I don't want to talk about it. No, I don't want to talk about (it).

It's not going to help you to know, but we would like to get a deal done, if possible only because, in my case, (to) save lives," he said.

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Source: TRT