Trump says no security promises or Nato for Ukraine

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Wednesday ruled out offering US security guarantees or Nato membership for Ukraine as his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky prepared to visit to seal a deal on handing over natural resources.

Trump, who has upended US policy by reaching out to Russia and seeking a quick end to the three-year war, said that European allies would bear responsibility for Ukraine´s security.

Addressing reporters at a cabinet meeting, Trump said Zelensky would visit on Friday and sign the agreement after intense US pressure to hand over rare earths used in aerospace and other technology. “It´s a great deal for Ukraine, too, because they get us over there,” Trump said.

“We´ll be on the land and, you know, in that way, it´s this sort of automatic security, because nobody´s going to be messing around with our people when we´re there,” Trump said.

But Trump ruled out the United States providing more formal security guarantees, as sought by Kyiv.

I´m not going to make security guarantees beyond very much,” Trump said.

“We´re going to have Europe do that,” Trump said. “Europe is their next-door neighbour, but we´re going to make sure everything goes well.”

Asked what concessions would need to be made to end the war, he ruled out Ukrainian membership in Nato, again repeating Russia´s stance that the issue was behind its invasion.

“Nato -- you can forget about,” Trump said. “I think that´s probably the reason the whole thing started.”

Former president Joe Biden backed Ukraine´s eventual membership in Nato without offering a concrete timeframe.

The United States on Monday sided with Russia at the United Nations and against nearly all its European allies with a resolution that called for an end to the war without stressing the territorial integrity of Ukraine. “We´re going to do the best we can to make the best deal we can for both sides,” Trump said on Wednesday.

“But for Ukraine, we´re going to try very hard to make a good deal so that they can get as much back as possible.”

Trump insisted that his diplomacy was bringing a new spirit of compromise from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who earlier “wanted the whole thing” in Ukraine. “He´s a very smart guy. He´s a very cunning person,” Trump said of Putin.

“I think we´re going to have a deal. If I didn´t get elected, I believe he would have just continued to go through Ukraine.”