Trump says Ukraine ‘may not survive’ the war with Russia
Ahead of talks in Saudi Arabia, president also says US has ‘just about’ ended pause on Ukraine intel sharing
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the United States had “just about” ended a suspension of intelligence sharing with Ukraine, and that he expects good results out of upcoming talks with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.
Asked if he would consider ending the suspension, Trump said, “We just about have. We just about have.”
CIA Director John Ratcliffe said on Wednesday the US had halted intelligence sharing with Ukraine, piling pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to cooperate with Trump in convening peace talks with Russia.
The suspension, which could cost lives by hurting Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian missile strikes, followed a halt to US military aid to Kyiv.
Also on Sunday, Trump told Fox News that Ukraine “may not survive” the war with Russia.
Asked during an interview about European warnings the Kyiv might not survive without US aid, Trump answered: “Well, it may not survive anyway. But you know, we have some weaknesses with Russia. You know, it takes two. It was not gonna happen, that war. And it happened. So now we’re stuck with this mess.”
US officials will meet on Tuesday with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia in part to determine whether Ukraine is willing to make material concessions to Russia to end the war. Also hanging over the talks in Jeddah is the fate of a minerals deal between Washington and Kyiv.
Trump expressed optimism about the talks. “We’re going to make a lot of progress, I believe, this week,” he said.
Zelensky and Trump had been slated to sign the minerals accord — which would give the US access to certain mineral resources in Ukraine — before Zelensky’s White House visit erupted into a clash between the two leaders, after which it was not signed.
Trump said on Sunday he thought Ukraine would sign the minerals agreement, which Ukraine wants to contain a US security guarantee.
“They will sign the minerals deal, but I want them to want peace… They haven’t shown it to the extent they should,” he said.
Trump also said his administration was looking at a variety of things with respect to tariffs on Russia and that administration officials are not concerned about military exercises involving Russia, China and Iran.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio set off on Sunday to fly to Saudi Arabia for talks with Ukraine. Rubio will then travel on to Group of Seven (G7) talks in Canada, making him the first major US official to visit since Trump returned to office, launched a trade war the neighboring country and mocked its sovereignty.
In three days of talks in Jeddah, Rubio will discuss how to “advance the president’s goal to end the Russia-Ukraine war,” said State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce.
She avoided characterizing the crisis as a “Russian invasion of Ukraine” as the previous administration and US allies have done.
Zelensky has previously announced that he will be in Jeddah for the talks, as has Trump confidant and envoy Steve Witkoff. Rubio left Miami’s Homestead Air Base at around 8 p.m. local time (midnight GMT).
Stunned European leaders have been racing to find ways to make up for US aid, although Zelensky himself has said that there is no substitute for Washington’s security guarantees in a deal with Russia.
Russia, which invaded three years ago, has not let up in striking Ukraine, including its energy infrastructure. Trump on Friday also threatened to tighten sanctions on Russia if it does not come to the table.
Rubio last month met his Russian counterpart, breaking a Biden-era freeze on such high-level contacts, and spoke of future economic cooperation if the war ends.
