Trump says U.S. wants return of Ukraine aid money

Trump seeks mineral resources deal with Ukraine to recoup wartime aid, sparking tensions with Kyiv and Europe.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday (February 22, 2025) he was trying to get money back for the billions of dollars sent to support Ukraine's war against Russia.

His comments came as Washington and Kyiv negotiate a mineral resources deal Mr. Trump wants as compensation for the wartime aid his predecessor Joe Biden gave Ukraine.

It was the latest twist in a whirlwind first month since he took office, during which he has upended U.S. foreign policy by making diplomatic overtures towards the Kremlin over the heads of Ukraine and Europe.

Mr. Trump told delegates at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) near Washington: "I'm trying to get the money back, or secured.

"I want them to give us something for all of the money that we put up. We're asking for rare earth and oil, anything we can get. We're going to get our money back because it's just not fair. And we will see, but I think we're pretty close to a deal, and we better be close because that has been a horrible situation," said he.

Hours earlier, a source told AFP that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was "not ready" to sign such a deal, despite growing US pressure.

Mr. Trump's special envoy Keith Kellogg, who met Zelensky this week, said the Ukrainian president understood signing a deal with the United States was "critical."