Burc Eruygur
04 February 2025•Update: 04 February 2025
ISTANBUL
The Kremlin on Tuesday called US President Donald Trump’s plans to exchange Ukrainian rare earth minerals for further military aid a “commercial proposal.”
A day earlier, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Ukraine should provide the US with its rare earth minerals in exchange for Washington’s continued support for Kyiv in the country’s ongoing war with Russia.
Noting that Washington and Kyiv are engaged in ongoing talks over the matter, Trump further complained that the US is providing more economic and military aid to Ukraine than Europe.
“Well, probably, if we call a spade a spade, this is an offer to buy aid, that is, not to continue to provide it on a gratuitous or other basis, but to provide it on a commercial basis,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow.
“It is better, of course, not to provide assistance at all and thereby contribute to the end of the conflict,” Peskov further said.
He said that the essence of Trump's ideas regarding a settlement in Ukraine are unclear, but that it is obvious US arms supplies to Kyiv will continue as none have declared otherwise.
He went on to say the new US administration has not yet made any decisions on the possibility of returning Russian diplomatic property seized by Washington, stressing that Moscow will take reciprocal measures should Poland try to seize such property.
Peskov added the increase in Europe's defense spending is putting the region's economy into a "pre-crisis state," and that a further increase in spending will "affect every European."
