Russia Wants All of Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Russia's ultimate goal is to take control of the entire territory of Ukraine, not just the areas it currently occupies.

"Russia would have to give up all of Ukraine. Because what Russia wants is all of Ukraine. And if I didn’t get involved, they would be fighting right now for all of Ukraine. Russia doesn’t want the strip that they have now; Russia wants all of Ukraine. And if it weren’t me, they would keep going," said the US President," Trump said in an interview with NBC News.

He added that European Union leaders repeatedly asked him to contact Russian President Vladimir Putin because, according to Trump, "he does not return their calls."

Despite this, Trump said that in a future peace settlement, Russia would "have to give up all of Ukraine.”

Peace Still a Possibility, Says Trump

When asked whether Russia and Ukraine are any closer to a peace agreement, Trump replied, "I hope so."

"I believe we are closer to one side, and maybe not so close to the other," Donald Trump said without clarifying whether he was referring to Russia or Ukraine.

Trump once again avoided specifying how long he was willing to stay involved in mediation before withdrawing U.S. support from peace negotiations.

"There will come a point when I say, "Okay, go ahead. Keep being foolish and keep fighting,'" he said, reiterating his hope for a peaceful resolution.

On Rare Earth Deal with Ukraine

Trump also commented on a recent U.S.-Ukraine agreement on rare earth mineral extraction, describing the deal as a win for the American people. He contrasted the agreement with the policies of former President Joe Biden, whom he again criticized. Trump claimed the war in Ukraine would never have started if Biden had not been president, accusing him of handing Ukraine "$350 billion with nothing in return." He argued the new mining deal would help the U.S. recover some of those funds.

Timeline for Defining Russia Policy

Trump said he expects to clarify his approach to Russia within the next two weeks to a month. "I'll tell you in a month or two weeks. Right now, I don't know,” he said.

When asked to comment on whether Russia might be "playing” him, Trump deflected:

"Maybe you're playing me by saying this interview would be pleasant. I'm used to being played,” he quipped.

Trump also declined to say whether he would cancel U.S. military assistance to Kyiv.