Mr. Trump has repeatedly demanded access to Ukraine’s natural resources as a form of compensation for the aid Washington has provided Kiev during the conflict with Russia. According to sources, after many delays, Kiev has agreed and a document can be signed as soon as February 28. When asked what Ukraine would receive in return, Mr. Trump announced on February 25 that Kiev had received $350 billion in the form of various military equipment, as well as the right to continue fighting. When asked about the possibility of continued arms and ammunition transfers to Ukraine, President Trump said shipments could continue for a while, perhaps until we reach an agreement with Russia.

When asked about whether the US would provide additional air defense systems to Ukraine, Mr. Trump emphasized: “Currently, we are not providing anything.” When asked whether Washington would resume military aid in the future, he reiterated that “Europe will be largely responsible for this issue.” Kiev has rejected the $350 billion figure given by Mr. Trump, asserting that Washington actually only provided less than $100 billion in aid. According to the Pentagon and the Ukraine Monitoring Group, an interagency agency responsible for reporting to the US Congress, since February 2022, the US Congress has approved $183 billion for Ukraine, of which more than $66 billion is direct security assistance. The Trump administration has repeatedly expressed its intention to minimize US involvement after reaching a ceasefire agreement, while transferring the financial and logistical burden of supporting Kiev to regional allies.