Trump Seeks Concessions from Ukraine Before Restoring U.S. Aid and Intelligence Sharing
Washington, The Gulf Observer: As U.S. and Ukrainian officials prepare for high-level meetings in Saudi Arabia this week, President Donald Trump has privately conveyed that a signed minerals deal between Washington and Kyiv will not be sufficient to restart U.S. aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, according to an administration official and another U.S. official.
Trump is pressing for the agreement, which would grant the U.S. a stake in Ukraine’s mineral resources, to be finalized. However, he also seeks a shift in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s stance on peace talks, including a willingness to make territorial concessions to Russia. Additionally, Trump wants Ukraine to take steps toward holding elections, which have been suspended under martial law since Russia’s invasion in 2022, and is reportedly pushing for Zelenskyy to consider stepping down as the country’s leader, the officials said.
Commenting on Trump’s position, White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes stated, “As President Trump demonstrated by reading President Zelenskyy’s message at the joint session, the Ukrainians have made positive movement. With meetings in Saudi this coming week, we look forward to hearing more positive movement that will hopefully ultimately end this brutal war and bloodshed.”
Meanwhile, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine following the U.S. pause in equipment and intelligence sharing this week. According to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Friday was among the deadliest days for civilians this year, with the majority of casualties occurring in the Ukrainian-controlled Donetsk region. The monitoring agency noted that casualty figures in 2025 have already surpassed those of 2024.
U.S. officials maintain there is no direct evidence linking the intelligence-sharing pause to the surge in Russian attacks, asserting that such large-scale assaults were likely planned in advance.
Amid growing pressure from congressional Republicans, the White House is considering the resumption of aid and intelligence sharing. Officials expressed optimism that assistance could be restored as early as next week, particularly after Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is “ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible.” The Ukrainian president also affirmed his country’s willingness to work under “President Trump’s strong leadership to achieve a lasting peace.”
