Prominent figure asserts economic ties for security
By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President JD Vance stated in an interview with Fox News on Monday his belief that establishing economic interests between Washington and Ukraine can serve as a crucial security guarantee for the nation, which was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
President Donald Trump has been actively pursuing a potential minerals deal with Ukraine, a country known for its abundant lithium deposits and rare earth minerals. This effort is seen as a form of reciprocation for the billions of dollars in U.S. aid provided to Ukraine during the Russian invasion. Trump is expected to provide further details on this proposed deal on Tuesday.
An attempt to reach an agreement on this matter between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and President Trump during their meeting at the White House on Friday ended in discord and without a formal deal being reached.
In his interview, Vance emphasized the importance of providing real security guarantees to prevent potential future invasions by Russia. He suggested that granting Americans a stake in Ukraine’s economic future would be a more effective security measure compared to relying on the presence of troops from countries with limited recent wartime experience.
Vance further pointed out that President Trump has consistently expressed willingness to engage in peace talks with Zelenskiy, emphasizing the need for meaningful discussions to reach a peace agreement.
Amidst these discussions and efforts to secure peace, it is noted that Trump has been actively advocating for a comprehensive deal to bring an end to the conflict. Despite offers from European nations like France and Britain to provide troops in the event of a ceasefire, Moscow has already rejected this proposal. Zelenskiy has stressed that any ceasefire must include clear and robust security guarantees from Western allies.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Stephen Coates)
